BANCROFT    LIBRARY 


^ 

s&  P^^' 


OF  PEARLS. 


SECOND   BOOK  OF  THE 


FAITH-PROMOTING 


Designed    for    the     Instruction    and    Encouragement    of 
Young    Latter-day   Saints. 


t  Q 


,„„, ^ 


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O  O  1ST  33        E3  3D  I  T  I  O  1ST  _ 


.MJVKJNILE    INSTRUGTOK    OFFICE, 

Salt    Lake    City, 

1882. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  EDITION. 


THE  first  book  of  this,  the  "FAITH-PROMOTING  SERIES"- 
My  First  Mission — which  was  published  some  months 
since,  has  been  so  well  received  by  the  public  that  we  are 
encouraged  to  continue  the  publication  of  works  of  a  similar 
character. 

We  herewith  give  "A  STRING  OF  PEARLS"  to  our  readers, 
feeling  assured  that  they  will  find  the  contents  of  this  little 
work  of  inestimable  value. 

Probably  no  people  in  the  world  possess  so  rich  and  varied 
an  experience  as  do  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  especially  the 
Elders  who  have  labored  in  the  ministry  in  various  lands. 
Contributions  from  them,  giving  a  relation  of  their  personal 
experience,  are  most  profitable  to  young  people  to  peruse. 

The  present  age  is  one  of  doubt  and  unbelief.  Faith  in 
G-od,  in  His  willingness  to  hear  and  answer  prayer,  and  in  the 
gifts  of  the  gospel,  has  almost  vanished  from  the  earth.  As 
a  people  we  have  this  to  contend  with.  Our  children,  not 
having  had  experience  themselves,  have  to  be  carefully 
watched,  lest  they,  too,  should  partake  of  the  leaven  of 
unbelief.  We  feel  that  it  is  a  duty  that  we  owe  to  them  to 
place  within  their  reach  the  evidences  that  their  fathers  and 
their  mothers  have  received  of  the  existence  of  God,  of  His 
willingness  to  hear  and  answer  prayer,  and  to  bestow  His  gifts 
upon  those  who  seek  for  them  in  the  right  way. 

G-od  has  wrought  as  marvelously  in  behalf  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  as  He  did  in  former  days  in  behalf  of  His  people. 

We  hope  that  this  little  volume  will  prove  of  great  value  to 
those  who  read  it,  by  inspiring  them  with  faith,  and  furnish- 
ing them  a  foundation  upon  which  to  build  and  obtain  know- 
ledge from  the  Lord. 


IV.  PREFACE. 

We  also  indulge  in  the  hope  that  its  publication  may  stir  up 
others — of  whom  there  are  so  many  hundreds,  and  perhaps 
thousands,  in  our  Church  who  have  had  valuable  experience — 
to  take  the  time  and  trouble  necessary  to  commit  incidents  of 
this  character  to  paper,  that  they  may  not  die  with  themselves, 
but  that  they  may  live  to  speak  hope  and  consolation  unto,  and 
to  inspire  confidence  in,  those  who  shall  come  after  them. 

With  an  earnest  hope,  therefore,  that  the  contents  of  this 
little  volume  may  prove  a  help  to  those  who  may  read  it,  by 
inspiring  them  with  faith  in  the  Almighty  and  His  promises, 
we  modestly  publish  it,  and  give  it  the  expressive  title  which 
it  bears.  G.  Q.  C. 

October,  1880. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 


IN  publishing  this,  the  second  edition  of  the  STRING  OF 
PEARLS,  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  that  the  first  edition  of 
5,000  copies  is  exhausted,  and  we  are  induced  by  the  continued 
demand  for  the  book  to  re-issue  it.  It  is  very  gratifying  to 
notice  the  taste  which  has  been  developed  during  the  past  few 
years,  among  the  youth  of  our  community,  for  such  reading 
matter  as  the  FAITH- PROMOTING  SERIES  contains.  We  hope 
to  see  a  continued .  growth  in  this  direction,  and  that  our 
brethren  and  sisters  of  experience  will  be  prompted  by  it  to 
write  for  publication  such  sketches  from  their  lives  as  will 
point  a  moral  and  convey  a  lesson  to  the  minds  of  future 
generations  who  may  peruse  the  same. 

We  see  no  reason  why  the  six  volumes  of  the  FAITH-PPO- 
MOTING  SERIES  already  published,  as  well  as  those  which  may 
foilow,  should  not  be  regarded  in  the  future  as  standard  works 
of  the  Church,  and  used  for  home  reading  or  Sunday  school 
class  books  when  their  authors  and  those  of  whose  history 
they  treat  shall  have  passed  to  another  sphere  of  action. 

June,  1882.  THE  PUBLISHER. 


CONTENTS. 


AMONG    THE     PONCAS. 
CHAPTER    I. 

Start  for  the  Mountains — Experience  as  a  Cobbler — Indian 
Mission  Abandoned — Caching  Property — Ponca  'ndians 
— A  Prophecy  and  its  Fulfillment.  Page  9. 

CHAPTER   II. 

Going  with  the  Poncas — Buffalo  Meat — Camped  for  the  Win- 
ter— Council  with  the  Indians — A  War  Dance — Selected 
to  go  with  the  Poncas  on  a  Winter's  Hunt.  Page  12. 

CHAPTER    III. 

Grand  "Peace""  Smoke— Table  Etiquette— No  Dish  Washing 
— White  Friends  Discouraged.  Page  16. 

CHAPTER    IY. 

Last  two  Brethren  leave  me — Home-sick — Tonsorial  Expe- 
rience— "Whadee-Shipper,"  a  New  Name  forme — Kind- 
ness of  the  Indians.  Page  20. 

CHAPTER    V. 

A  Buffalo  Hunt — A  Thrilling  Sight — Conversation  with  the 
Indians — Scurvy — Answer  to  Prayer.  Page  23. 

CHAPTER    VI. 

Strength  in  Time  of  Need — Afflicted  like  Job,  with  Boils — 
Scraping  with  a  Potsherd  Pleasant — My  Prayer  Room — 
Dressing  Buffalo  Robes — Dining  on  Cottonwood  Bark — 
Indian  Self-Denial.  Page  26. 

CHAPTER    VII.    . 

Police  Regulations— A  Moral  People — Marriage  Customs — 
Invitation  to  a  Feast — Skunk  Meat  at  Midnight — Indians 
Cheated  by  White  Traders.  Page  29. 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Symptoms  of  Death — No  Hopes  of  Living— Ponca  Manner  of 
Burying  the  Dead — Dread  of  Having  my  Body  Mangled 
by  the  Wolves — Decide  to  Bargain  with  the  Indians  to 
Cut  up  my  Body  and  Take  it  to  my  Friends — Happy 
Assurance  that  I  should  Live,  etc.  Page  33. 


VI.  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Visit  from  the  Brules — Feast  on  Dog  Meat — Seat  of  Honor 
on  the  Pillow — Return  Journey — Opening  Caches — Shoot- 
ing Fish — Curious  Manner  of  Cooking  Fish.  Page  36. 

CHAPTER     X. 

Chosen  to  go  as  an  Envoy  to  the  Camp  of  the  Saints — A 
Solitary  Journey — Surrounded  by  Thousands  of  Wolves 
— Providential  Deliverance — Happy  Sight,  a  Yoke  of 
Oxen— Tears  of  Joy — Meet  two  of  my  Friends — Safe 
Return  to  the  Camp  of  the  Saints.  Page  39. 

ANECDOTES     OF     ELDER     GRANT. 
CHAPTER    I. 

Reputation  as  a  Ready  Speaker — Putting  him  to  the  Test — 
Sermon  from  a  Blank  Text — Enthusiasm  at  the  Close  of 
it — A  Collection  Proposed — The  Minister  Objects  to 
Passing  the  Hat— They  Compel  him  to — Handsome  Col- 
lection— Discussion  with  a  Great  Baptist  Preacher — 
Preacher  Nonplussed  by  Elder  Grant's  Repartee. 

Page  43. 

CHAPTER    II. 

Curious  Coincidence — Impression  upon  Miss  Floyd — Her 
Acknowledgement — Challenged  by  Mr.  Ruby — Meeting 
by  Chance— Elder  Grant's  Estimate  of  Mr.  Ruby— The 
Preacher  Cowed.  Page  47. 

WAR    HILL. 

Elder  J.  M.  Grant  Challenged  to  Debate— Boone's  Hill  Chosen 
as  the  Place — His  Antagonist  gets  Six  Ministers  to  Help 
him — Demoralized  Ministers  send  for  Another  to  Assist 
them — Inglorious  Defeat  of  the  Eight — One  of  'them 
Absent-Minded—Change  of  Name  to  "War  Hill." 

Page  50. 

SIGN-SEEKING. 

Persecuting  the  Missionaries — A  Discussion — Not  Content 
with  Bible  Proofs — A  Sign  Demanded — No  Signs  Prom- 
ised the  Unbelievers — Warned  to  Repent,  or  Endure  the 
Curse  of  God— The  Result.  Page  52. 


CONTENTS.  Vll. 


MISSIONARY    INCIDENTS. 
CHAPTER    I. 

A  Busy  Mission — A  Rich  Harvest  of  Souls — Judgments  upon 
our  Opponents.  Page  55. 

CHAPTER   II. 

Visit  to  a  Baptist  Meeting — Abuse  of  the^  Various  Churches, 
Especially  the1 'Mormons' ' — Boasted  Bible-name  andRelig- 
ion— Return  to  the  Text— "Hard-Shell"  Wail— Reply  to 
False  Assertions — Their  ^'Bible-name"  Disproved — The 
True  Scripture  Name  Pointed  out.  Page  57. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Ministers  Appoint  a  Meeting  to  Expose  "Mormonism" — We 
Appoint  one  for  the  Same  Purpose,  and  the  Same  Day — 
Ministers  Fail  to  Appear — Others  Preach  Instead — We 
Follow — A  Baptist  Attempts  to  Reply — Hi<?  Contradic- 
tory Statement — Fellow-Preacher's  Chagrin — The  Preach- 
er's Concession.  Page  61. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

My  First  Sermon — Remarkable  Instance  of  Help  from  the 
Almighty.  Page  66. 

CHAPTER   V. 

My  Second  Sermon,  which  was  not  a  Sermon — Confidence 
in  Commencing — Subsequent  Chagrin — The  Lesson  I 
Learned.  Page  58. 

JOURNEY    ACROSS    THE    PLAINS.         * 

Surrounded  by  Indians — Prepare  for  an  Attack — Sign  of 
Peace — A  Letter — Pipe  of  Peace — Three  of  us  Accom- 
pany the  Indians  to  their  Camp — Chagrin  at  the  Repulse 
—Road  Swept  Clear  of  Snow — Missouri  River  Frozen 
over — We  Cross  on  the  Ice,  which  Breaks  as  the  Last 
Wagon  Leaves  it.  Page  67. 

STORY    OF    A    HAT. 

Elder  Phillips  in  Need  of  a  Hat— Brother  Hobbs  told  in  a 
Dream  to  Provide  one  for  him — His  Trouble  at  not  being 
able  to  do  so — The  Hat  Provided  in  an  Unexpected 
Manner.  Page  71. 


Viii.  CONTENTS. 


A    PROPHECY    AND    ITS    FULFILLMENT. 

Elder  Taylor's  labors  in  Liverpool— Visit  to  McGaffey's 
House — A  Prophecy  Concerning  Mr.  Tait — Visit  to 
Ireland— McGaffey  gets  Drunk— The  Prophecy  Fulfilled. 

Page  73. 

GUIDED    BY    PROVIDENCE. 

Elder  Lisonbee's  Mission — Urged  by  the  Spirit  to  Travel  on — 
Finds  a  Listener — Invited  to  Preach — A  Protest  against 
it— Success—His  Great  Work— His  Death.  Page  76. 

FULFILLMENT    OF    PROMISE. 

The  Lord's  Promises  Sure — An  Elder  in  want  of  a  Pair  of 
Shoes — He  Prays  for  them — The  Prayer  Answered — Case 
of  Healing.  Page  79. 

"YOU    SHALL    NOT    BE    CONFOUNDED." 

Sent  out  to  Preach  when  a  Boy — First  Experience  in  Preach- 
ing— Questioned  by  an  Infidel — Answer  given  by  the 
Lord.  Page  82. 

AN    EFFECTIVE    PLEA. 

Arrested  on  a  Novel  Charge — Elder  Parrish's  Defense — Elder 
Patten's  Indignation — Consternation  Produced  by  his 
Speech.  Page  84. 

A    LIFE    SKETCH. 

Lack  of  Education — Early  Marriage — Resisting  Temptation — 
Grain  Increased  by  the  Power  of  God — Answers  to  Prayer 
—Large  Family — Result  of  Early  Marriage.  Page  86. 

CASES    OF    MIRACULOUS    HEALING. 

Great  Assembly  of  Indians — Baptizing  them — The  Sick  In- 
stantly Healed — Curious  Actions  of  Indians  Affected 
with  Evil  Spirits— The  Old  Chief's  Faith— Child  Cured 
of  Fever— The  Dead  Revived.  Page  89. 

ANSWER    TO    PRAYER. 

•  Early  Experience  in  Calling  upon  the  Lord — Prayers  An- 
swered—Faith Developed — A  Pocket-Book  Lost — Found 
in  answer  to  Prayer.  Page  94. 

JOSEPH    SMITH'S    FIRST    PRAYER. 


AMONG  THE  PONCAS. 


By  w.  c.  S. 


CHAPTER    I. 

START  FOR  THE  MOUNTAINS — EXPERIENCE  AS  A  COBBLER — 
INDIAN  MISSION  ABANDONED  —  CACHING  PROPERTY — 
PONG  A  INDIANS — A  PROPHECY  AND  ITS  FULFILLMENT. 

A  FEW   days   after  the  organization   of  the    "Mormon" 
Battalion,  and  when  it  had  left  Council  Bluffs  for  Fort 
Leavenworth,  it  was  decided  in  the  council  of  the  authorities 
of  the  Church  that  Brother  Greorge  Miller  (Bishop)  should  raise 
a  company  and  endeavor  to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains  that  fall. 

At  this  time  I  was  traveling  and  living  with  the  family  of 
Bishop  Miller.  I  had  been  suffering  with  fever  and  ague  for 
two  months  previous,  but  a  few  days  before  we  arrived  at 
Council  Bluffs  the  fever  left  me,  when  my  legs  commenced  to 
swell  and  finally  broke  out  into  sores,  some  of  which  were  over 
an  inch  deep.  I  had  five  on  my  right  and  four  on  my  left  leg. 
These  caused  me  much  pain ;  but  the  Lord  blessed  me  with 
His  Spirit,  and  I  did  not  feel  in  the  least  discouraged. 

I  had  brought  some  shoemaker's  tools  along,  so  that  I  could 
mend  my  shoes  when  they  needed  it.  I  had  them  in  use  every 
tune  we  stopped,  mending  shoes  for  the  camp.  I  soon  learned 
to  be  a  pretty  good  cobbler,  especially  in  patching  up  the 
sisters'  shoes. 


10  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

Some  four  of  Bishop  Miller's  teamsters  left  to  join  the 
Battalion.  Brother  Henry  Gr.  Boyle  was  the  one  who  drove  the 
team  I  traveled  in,  but  now  I  had  to  be  teamster.  We  left 
with  sufficient  breadstuff  to  last  a  year,  consisting  of  flour,  corn 
meal,  etc. ,  but  no  meat,  as  we  hoped  to  find  plenty  of  game  on 
our  journey.  In  this  we  were  disappointed,  as  we  were  without 
meat  for  several  weeks,  with  the  exception  of  fish  when  we 
could  catch  them. 

When  about  twenty  miles  east  of  the  Pawnee  village  and 
mission  we  met  several  white  men,  who  had  beeu  in  charge  of 
the  mission,  under  the  superintendence  of  an  Indian  agent 
appointed  by  the  government.  These  men  had  been  employed 
at  building  houses,  fencing  in  land,  sowing  grain,  etc.,  and 
endeavoring  to  teach  the  Indians  to  do  likewise  ;  but  the  Indians 
for  some  cause  had  become  exasperated  and  had  killed  two  of 
the  white  men,  one  of  whom  was  a  blacksmith. 

As  soon  as  this  party  learned  of  our  numbers  and  intentions 
they  wished  to  return  to  the  mission  and  cache  some  govern- 
ment property,  such,  as  iron,  steel,  blacksmith  tools,  farming 
implements,  etc. ,  which  they  left  in  a  hurry  when  fleeing  from 
the  Indians.  On  arriving  at  the  mission  and  village,  we  found 
that  all  the  Indians  had  left,  fearing,  I  presume,  that  they  would 
be  punished  if  they  were  caught  by  the  government  troops. 

The  brethren  helped  these  men  to  cache  all  the  property, 
which  they  did  by  digging  a  large  hole  in  the  ground,  in  a  dry 
place,  putting  the  goods  into  it,  covering  them  with  the  soil 
taken  out  of  the  hole,  and  building  a  large  fire  over  the  place, 
that  the  ashes  might  cover  up  all  traces  of  the  digging. 

One  of  the  men  of  this  party  joined  the  Church,  and  emi- 
grated to  the  valley  with  us. 

We  found  several  fields  of  grain  ready  for  havesting,  with 
potatoes,  turnips  and  sweet  corn,  as  well  as  a  large  quantity  of 
wheat,  barley  and  oats  already  threshed  and  housed.  This  was 
all  handed  over  to  our  camp. 

We  remained  here  a  couple  of  days,  when  we  received  a  letter 
from  President  B.  Young's  camp,  advising  us  to  winter  on 
Grand  Island,  which  was  well  timbered,  and  where  there  was 
good  feed  also  This  island  was  a  tew  miles  west  of  us,  on  the 
Platte  River. 


FULFILLMENT  OF  A  PROPHECY.  +      11 

The  letter  also  stated  that  a  company  had  left  President 
Young's  camp,  who  would  winter  with  us  and  give  us  sufficient 
strength  to  guard  against  an  attack  from  Indians. 

The  day  following  eight  Ponca  chiefs  came  to  our  camp, 
stating  that  they  had  come  from  their  nation  to  make  peace 
with  the  Pawnees,  and  appeared  much  disappointed  when 
they  learned  they  had  left,  in  consequence  of  their  trouble 
with  the  men  who  had  charge  of  the  mission. 

These  Ponca  Indians  who  came  to  our  camp  were  large,  fine- 
looking  men. 

Bishop  Miller  asked  them  to  stay  with  us  a  few  days,  which 
they  did,  and  appeared  much  pleased.  They  soon  learned  where 
we  expected  to  winter,  and  were  very  anxious  to  have  us  all  go 
to  their  village  arid  stay.  They  represented  that  they  had  a 
good  country,  well  timbered,  and  plenty  of  good  pasture  and 
shelter  for  our  cattle. 

The  next  day  the  company  sent  to  join  us,  consisting  of  thirty 
men  with  their  families,  arrived.  As  soon  as  they  had  rested, 
a  meeting  was  called,  to  know  what  should  be  done — winter  on 
Grand  Island,  without  the  consent  of  the  Pawnee  Indians,  who 
owned  the  land  and  timber  there,  or  go  with  the  Ponca  chiefs, 
where  we  would  be  welcomed  by  the  whole  nation. 

The  council  decided  to  go  with  the  Poncas,  and  the  next  day 
we  fitted  up  our  wagons  for  the  journey. 

The  next  thing  was  to  load  up  with  as  much  grain  and  pota- 
toes as  we  could  get  into  our  wagons,  for  these  were  the 
first  we  had  been  able  to  obtain  since  leaving  Nauvoo  in  the 
spring. 

After  we  got  every  corner  in  our  wagons  filled  with  eatables 
We  left  a  great  many  bushels  of  grain  and  vegetables  upon  the 
land  to  waste,  literally,  fulfilling  a  prophecy  uttered  by  Bishop 
Miller,  a  few  days  before  we  started.  When  speaking  to  the 
camp,  he  said  he  hoped  all  who  were  going  in  that  company 
were  "true  Latter-day  Saints,  full  of  faith  and  good  works,"  and 
added : 

'  'All  of  you  who  have  been  with  us  have  seen  the  power  of 
Grod  manifested  in  behalf  of  the  traveling  camps  of  Israel,  in 
protecting  our  leaders  from  our  enemies,  and  providing  food 
for  the  Saints,  who  number  thousands.  Some  may  say,  'We 


12  STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

% 

were  then  traveling  through  a  country  where  we  found  an 
occasional  farm,  from  the  owner  of  which  we  could  purchase 
what  we  required ;  but  to-day  we  have  left  all  these,  and  have 
nothing  but  a  wilderness  before  us,  without  farms,  houses  or 
grain. ' 

"Let  me  say,  as  I  have  before  said,  you  shall  be  blessed  in 
the  future  as  you  have  been  in  the  past. 

•'What,  with  food?  Yes;  I  tell  you  yes!  I  promise  you 
all,  this  day,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  that  you  shall  see  the 
time  while  upon  this  journey,  that  you  shall  have  more  grain 
than  you  can  load  in  your  wagons,  and  leave  many  bushelsbehind 
you  to  waste  upon  the  ground. 

This,  my  readers,  was  fulfilling  prophecy  to  the  very  letter. 
How  often  I  have  seen  the  sayings  of  our  leaders  fulfilled  in 
like  manner  since  I  started  upon  this  journey ! 


CHAPTER  II. 

GOING  WITH  THE  PONG  AS — BUFFALO  MEAT — CAMPED  FOR 
THE  WINTER — COUNCIL  WITH  THE  INDIANS — A  WAR 
DANCE—SELECTED  TO  GO  WITH  THE  PONCAS  ON  A 
WINTER'S  HUNT. 

T3ROTHER  James  Emmett,  one  of  our  party,  understood  a 
-L)  little  of  the  Sioux  language,  and  one  of  the  Ponca  chiefs 
could  converse  in  this  language.  Brother  Emmett  was  asked 
to  find  out  how  far  the  Poncas  lived  from  the  camp.  The  chief 
told  him  three  sleeps,  or,  as  he  understood  it,  three  days'  travel 
for  our  cattle  :  but  we  afterwards  learned  that  the  chief  meant 
three  days'  and  nights'  travel  with  horses  (one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles). 

The  country  over  which  we  traveled  the  first  three  days  was 
very  rough  for  our  wagons. 

The  name  of  the  chief  of  the  Poncas  was  Ta-nugar-number, 
which  means,  two  buffalo  bulls.  He  was  thus  named  because  he 
once  killed  two  bulls,  while  they  were  running  through  the  village. 

On  the  fourth  day  this  chief  came  to  us,  saying  he  and  the 
party  had  killed  three  buffaloes.  Brother  Miller  ordered  the 


FIRST  MEAL  OF  BUFFALO  MEAT.  13 

camp  to  stop  near  a  small  stream  close  by,  and  send  for  the 
dead  animals,  that  we  might  have  buffalo  meat  for  dinner.  This 
was  the  first  time  we  had  had  meat  for  ten  weeks. 

A  team  was  sent,  and  the  meat  soon  arrived,  and  was  dis- 
tributed through  the  camp. 

It  was  a  novel  scene,  I  assure  you,  to  see  us  each  with  a  stick 
and  a  piece  of  meat  stuck  on  the  end  of  it,  toasting,  or  broiling 
it,  before  the  fire.  This  was  the  first  buffalo  meat  we  had  ever 
eaten,  and  we  all  thought  it  the  sweetest  and  best  meat  we  ever 
tasted. 

We  remained  here  until  two  o'clock,  p.  m.,  the  next  day, 
when  but  little  remained  of  the  buffaloes,  except  the  bones. 
Several  more  were  killed  before  we  reached  the  village.  The 
meat  of  some  was  dried,  but  all  the  prime  pieces  were  eaten. 

On  the  eleventh  day  we  camped  within  two  miles  of  their 
village,  and  three  miles  from  where  we  located  for  the  winter. 
No  sooner  had  we  unyoked  our  cattle  than  we  were  visited  by 
nearly  all  the  nation,  old  and  young.  All  wanted  to  see  us. 
Many  of  them  had  never  seen  an  ox  before,  and  but  few  had 
seen  many  white  men. 

A  council  of  the  chiefs  and  braves,  or  warriors,  was  called, 
to  meet  with  our  brethren.  The  chief  told  his  people  that  he 
had  invited  us  to  stay  on  their  land  during  the  winter.  That 
we  wanted  timber  for  building  houses  and  for  fuel,  and  pasture 
for  our  cattle.  He  said  they  had  plenty  of  both — more  than 
they  or  we  needed — and  he  wanted-  his  braves  to  say  that  we 
could  have  it.  In  return,  he  told  them  we  would  build  them 
houses,  plow  and  plant  some  land  for  their  squaws,  and  give 
them  some  flour.  He  then  asked  for  an  expression  of  their 
feelings. 

Several  of  the  old  men  spoke,  and  all  said  we  were  welcome 
to  come  and  get  what  we  wanted. 

The  Poncas  numbered  about  two  thousand  souls. 

After  the  meeting  dismissed  some  thirty  of  the  braves,  or 
soldiers,  favored  us  with  a  war  dance. 

The  musical  instrument  used  for  this  was  used  at  all  the  dances 
I  ever  saw  while  with  them.  It  was  like  a  tambourine,  and 
about  the  same  size.  This  is  beaten  as  you  would  beat  a  drum. 
The/Lbraves  formed  in  a  circle,  and  at  evrry  beat  of 


14  STRING  OF  PEARLS.  • 

the  instrument  (and  there  were  perhaps  seventy  strokes  to  the 
minute)  they  would  jump  up,  at  the  same  time  bending  forward 
in  a  half-stooping  position,  and  passing  around  as  they  jumped, 
yelling  and  hallooing  in  a  most  frightful  manner. 

All  they  lacked  at  this  dance  to  make  it  a  perfect  war  dance, 
were  the  scalps  of  some  whom  they  had  killed  in  battle. 

This  drumming,  yelling  and  jumping  continued  for  about 
fifteen  minutes,  when  all  the  Indians  left  the  camp  for  their 
own  village. 

We  were  about  one  mile  from  the  Missouri  River,  and  near 
the  mouth  of  Swift  or  Running-Water  River,  and  where  the 
Indians  raise  a  little  corn. 

The  next  day  the  whole  village  turned  out  to  visit  us.  They 
wanted  us  to  trade  with  them  by  giving  them  flour,  sugar, 
coffee,  etc.,  for  moccasins,  buckskins,  etc.  A  great  many 
exchanges  were  made,  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  parties. 
The  Indians,  however,  had  by  far  the  best  of  the  bargains, 
as  we  found  out  the  next  morning,  for  many  of  us  were  minus 
an  ax,  a  kettle,  pan,  cup,  knife  or  something  that  was  used 
daily  about  our  camp;  and  all  these  things  we  learned  had 
been  taken  by  our  Indian  visitors. 

As  soon  as  this  was  known  to  the  chiefs,  they  ordered  all  who 
had  these  .articles  to  return  them  to  our  camp.  A  few  tin  cups, 
saucepans,  milk  pans  and  such  things  were  brought  back,  but 
not  a  tithe  of  what  were  taken. 

After  this  but  few  wer£  allowed  to  visit  us.  The  chief 
appointed  two  Indians  to  be  at  our  camp  every  day,  to  keep 
the  others  away,  or  keep  them  from  stealing. 

In  about  three  weeks  a  number  of  houses  were  ready  for  the 
Saints  to  occupy,  and  about  two-thirds  of  our  people  were  housed 
for  the  winter. 

While  this  was  being  done  I  had  been  kept  busy,  shoe-mending ; 
and  very  often  I  would  be  called  upon  to  mend  an  Indian's 
bridle  or  his  bullet  pouch,  which  I  did  cheerfully,  and  to  their 
satisfaction. 

About  the  first  of  October  the  Ponca  chief  came  to  Brother 
Miller,  and  informed  him  that  they  were  about  to  start  for  their 
winter  hunting  ground,  to  hunt  buffalo,  elk  and  deer,  to  get 
robes  and  meat,  and  wished  to  have  a  few  of  our  young 


JOIN  THE   INDIANS  FOR  A   WINTER'S   HUNT.  15 

men  accompany  them.  He  mentioned  me,  stating  that  I  was 
good  and  kind  to  his  people,  mending  bullet  pouches,  etc. ,  for 
them.  That  same  evening,  after  several  of  our  young  men 
had  proposed  to  go  with  the  Indians  on  their  hunt,  Bishop 
Miller  said,  calling  me  by  name,  "I  would  like  you  to  go  with 
them  if  you  had  not  those  fearful  sores  on  your  legs.  The 
chiefs  and  some  braves  have  taken  quite  a  liking  to  you,  and  I 

feel,  Brother  S ,  as  though  you  would  do  much  good  by 

going  among  them  on  this  journey,  but  I  dare  not  ask  you  to 
go  with  such  legs." 

A  peculiar  feeling  came  over  me  while  he  was  speaking,  and 
I  was  led  to  say,  4  'Brother  Miller,  if  you  say  I  can  accomplish 
good  by  going  with  those  Indians,  I  will  go.  I  have  no  fears 
about  my  legs  or  myself;  if  anything  should  occur,  that  I  should 
never  return,  I  have  no  relatives  in  camp  to  mourn  my  loss. 
This  weak,  deformed-  body  of  mine  can  be  better  spared  than 
those  who  are  able  bodied,  all  of  whom  are  needed  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  camp. ' ' 

He  there  and  then  appointed  me  to  go,  and  blessed  me  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord.  He  said  that  I  should  do  much  good, 
and  have  exceeding  faith  in  the  Glod  of  Israel,  who  would  guide 
and  direct  me  in  a  marvelous  manner. 

The  next  day  we  started.  Our  company  consisted  of  Brother 
John  Kay,  who  was  going  to  do  a  little  trading  with  and  gun- 
smithing  for  the  Indians,  Frederick  Bainbridge,  his  teamster, 
four  young  brethren  and  myself,  with  the  Ponca  nation  which 
numbered  two  thousand  souls,  with  all  their  lodges,  camp 
kettles,  etc. 


16  STRING  OP    PEARLS. 


CHAPTER    III. 
GRAND  "PEACE"  SMOKE  —  TABLE  ETIQUETTE  —  NO  DISH-  WASH- 

ING —  WHITE  FRIENDS  DISCOURAGED. 


hours  before  the  Indians  left  for  their  winter  hunting 
1  ground  a  few  of  the  chiefs  came  to  Bishop  Miller  to  smoke 
the  pipe  of  peace  with  him  and  our  camp.  This  pipe  of  peace  had 
been  smoked  with  us  many  times  before  ;  and,  as  it  may  be  a 
question  how  this  is  done,  I  will  explain  it  to  my  young  readers. 
When  there  is  a  sufficient  number  to  form  a  circle,  they  always 
do  so.  The  chief  who  invites  the  party  fills  his  large  pipe  with 
tobacco  (more  than  one  pipe  is  used  when  the  company  is  large). 
As  soon  as  it  is  filled,  the  chief  holds  the  bowl  of  the  pipe  up- 
wards, and  says  a  few  words  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  calling 
always  upon  the  Great  Spirit,  whom  they  call  "Wurconda." 

These  speeches  were  always  made  at  feasts  of  importance, 
or  councils,  and  at  every  "big  smoke,"  or  when  they  send  off 
a  war  party,  and  when  a  party  goes  to  make  peace  with  another 
nation. 

I  was  at  a  meeting  once  where  a  number  of  chiefs  were  in 
council,  and  were  about  to  send  off  a  peace  party,  consisting 
of  four  young  braves  and  a  chief,  all  of  whom  were  present 
during  the  ceremony.  The  pipe  was  filled,  and  the  head  chief 
held  the  bowl  upwards,  made  a  short  speech  and  passed  it  to 
the  next  chief,  who  said  a  few  words  and  handed  it  to  the  next. 
After  all  had  received  it  and  spoken,  the  chief,  who  presided  lit 
the  pipe,  and  all  smoked.  A  small,  dried  bladder  was  produced 
after  this  by  the  chief.  This  was  passed  around  with  the 
same  ceremony  as  the  pipe  was.  Some  very  fine  grass  was 
next  handed  around  in  the  same  manner.  After  this  the 
marrow  from  a  large  bone  of  the  buffalo  and  a  piece  *>f  plug 
tobacco  were  each  served  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other 
articles.  The  pipe,  tobacco,  grass  and  marrow  were  then 
placed  in  the  bladder  and  tied  up.  When  this  was  done 
the  young  chief  who  had  charge  of  the  party  was  asked  to 


HOW  WE  TRAVELED.  17 

step  into  the  circle  of  chiefs.  The  bladder  and  its  contents 
were  then  held  up  by  the  presiding  chief,  who  made  a  few 
remarks  and  handed  it  to  the  young  man,  and  he  handed  it  to 
each  chief  in  turn.  After  some  remarks  by  the  head  chief  the 
party  started  upon  their  important  mission. 

During  this  ceremony  no  one  spoke  but  those  in  council. 
It  was  as  quiet  as  any  religious  meeting  I  ever  attended.  Each 
speech  was  like  a  prayer,  and  was  delivered  in  a  very  solemn 
manner. 

After  this  peaceable  smoke  the  Indians  shook  hands  with 
their  white  friends  and  jumped  into  their  saddles  and  left. 

It  was  a  novel  scene  to  us,  and  I  am  sure  it  would  be  to  my 
young  readers,  to  see  this  Indian  nation  on  the  move.  In 
advance  could  be  seen  the  chiefs  and  some  of  their  braves  on 
horseback.  Next  came  the  squaws,  leading  horses  packed  with 
their  lodges  and  camp-equipage.  Next  came  the  old  men  and 
old  women,  with  their  lodges  packed  and  drawn  by  dogs  with 
poles  strapped  on  their  backs.  With  these  were  young  men 
and  maidens,  all  on  foot.  Those  who  had  babies  strapped 
them  upon  a  board,  and  carried  them  as  the  Utah  Indians  do. 

All  the  young  men  and  boys  had  bows  and  arrows ;  and  when 
traveling  they  had  a  good  time,  testing  their  skill  by  shooting 
rabbits  and  small  birds.  When  in  camp  a  great  deal  of  their 
time  was  spent  in  shooting  at  a  mark. 

The  first  day  we  traveled  about  eight  miles. 

We  had  been  invited  to  stay  in  one  of  the  chief's  lodges,  he 
having  three  of  them  and  three  wives.  At  sunset  the  chief 
invited  us  to  supper,  which  consisted  of  dried  buffalo  meat, 
boiled,  and  put  into  one  large,  wooden  bowl  with  the  liquor  it  - 
was  boiled  in.  One  large  horn  spoon  was  provided  with  which 
to  eat,  and  the  meat  was  cut  up  into  small  pieces. 

The  chief  took  a  spoonful  of  meat  and  liquor,  then  handed 
the  spoon  to  the  one  next  to  him,  who  did  likewise,  and  so  the 
spoon  was  passed  around  until  all  had  used  it,  and  partaken  of 
as  much  food  as  they  wanted.  The  meat  was  as  tough  as  leather 
and  about  as  palatable,  and  was  truly  the  hardest  and  toughest 
meat  I  ever  ate. 

We  slept  in  the  tent  that  night,  and  rested  well.  My  legs 
pained  me  some,  but  I  felt  that  the  Lord  was  with  us. 


18  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

Brother  John  Kay  had  a  little  flour  with  him,  and  on  the 
following  morning,  he  invited  us  to  breakfast  on  cakes  fried  in 
fat,  which  we  ate  with  a  relish. 

About  nine  o'clock,  a.  -m. ,  one  of  the  chiefs  went  through  the 
village,  telling  the  people  that  they  were  going  to  a  certain  place 
that  day,  and  that  they  could  prepare  for  the  journey  as  soon  as 
they  pleased. 

The  women  commenced  immediately  to  pack  up  their  things, 
and  take  down  their  lodges,  while  the  men  started  for  their 
horses. 

The  women  among  the  Indians  have  most  of  the  work  to  do. 
They  put  up  and  pull  down  the  lodges,  get  the  wood,  cook, 
make  and  mend  their  clothes,  and  dress  all  the  robes  and  skins, 
for  their  own  use  and  for  the  market. 

The  men  hunt,  look  after  their  horses,  fight,  if  necessary, 
smoke,  eat  and  sleep. 

We  traveled  on  in  this  way,  eating  the  same  kind  of  meat,  only 
broiled  at  times  for  a  change  (which  was  far  preferable)  instead 
of  being  boiled.  You  may  ask  if  the  meat  and  the  dish  or  bowl 
we  ate  from  were  clean. 

I  thought  not,  for  the  meat,  the  bowl  and  kettle  were  carried 
in  dirty,  greasy  sacks.  In  fact,  all  the  eatables  and  cooking 
utensils  were  in  these  sacks,  packed  upon  the  backs  of  horses, 
when  traveling,  arid  when  in  camp,  thrown  around  a  dirty  and 
dusty  lodge. 

I  scarcely  ever  saw  a  piece  of  meat,  a  kettle  or  a  bowl  washed 
by  them  while  I  was  with  them. 

At  first  we  partook  of  our  meals  with  but  little  relish,  but 
after  a  week's  travel,  we  found  our  appetites  improved. 

Up  to  this  time  we  traveled  near  the  Running  Water  River, 
without  seeing  any  buffalo,  or  game  of  any  kind.  Here  our 
young  brethren  became  perfectly  discouraged,  not  finding  game 
nor  immediate  prospects  for  any,  and  they  concluded  to 
leave. 

We  were  then  about  fifty  miles  from  our  camp.  I  was  asked 
to  accompany  them,  but  declined,  feeling  that  I  had  not  accom- 
plished my  mission. 

Thus  far  we  had  crossed  a  number  of  small,  clear  streams, 
froni  three  to  seven  feet  wide,  and  often  three  feet  deep.  In 


WHITE  FRIENDS  DISCOURAGED.  19 

crossing  these  I  found  the  water  gave  relief  to  my  sore  and 
painful  legs,  and,  as  often  as  I  could,  I  bathed  the  sores  and 
found  relief.  Three  of  the  sores  had  entirely  healed,  and  for 
this  I  thanked  the  Lord. 

We  parted  here  with  our  young  brethren,  wishing  them  a 
pleasant  journey,  while  we  marched  on  and  camped  again  near 
the  same  stream. 

Soon  after  we  had  partaken  of  our  evening  meal,  two  Indians 
came  riding  into  camp,  bringing  good  news,  that  buffaloes  were 
a  few  miles  west  of  us. 

This  filled  the  Indians  with  joy,  so  much  so  that  bonfires 
were  built  outside  the  lodges  to  give  light,  so  that  the  young 
folks  could  dance,  and  the  old  men  might  smoke  and  talk  over 
things  of  the  past. 

It  was  a  very  interesting  sight  to  me,  to  see  some  eight  or  ten 
circles  of  young  men  and  women,  dancing  in  the  same  way,  and 
to  the  same  music,  that  I  have  described  before,  as  a  '  'war  dance. ' ' 
And  let  me  here  say  that  women  join  the  men  in  a  real,  genuine 
war  dance,  (when  they  have  a  scalp  of  some  unfortunate  Indian 
who  has  crossed  their  path,)  and  seem  to  enjoy  it  quite  as  well 
as  the  men  ;  for  they  jump  as  high,  and  as  often,  and  do  a  great 
deal  of  horrible  yelling. 

With  this  dancing  by  the  young  folks,  and  the  smoking  by 
the  old  men,  (women  never  smoke)  and  the  multitude  looking 
at  the  dancers,  it  was  a  happy  time  for  all. 

After  enjoying  these  pleasures  about  three  hours  the  whole 
company,  except  the  guard,  retired  to  their  lodges,  many,  no 
doubt,  to  dream  of  the  good  time  coming — of  killing  buffaloes 
and  eating  fresh  meat. 

At  day-break  a  chief  notified  the  camp  to  "prepare  to  move. 
No  sooner  was  the  word  given,  than  the  people  commenced  to 
pack  up,  and  take  down  lodges,  and  in  one  hour  we  were  again 
on  the  move. 

At  the  time  the  chief  gave  the  word  for  the  Indians  to  pre- 
pare to  move,  another  chief  was  giving  orders  to  those  who  had 
hunting  horses  to  prepare  and  leave  for  the  slaughter.  By 
the  time  we  reached  a  small  stream  about  five  miles  ahead, 
we  found  these  hunters  with  ten  fine  buffaloes  ready  for  the 
two  thousand  hungry  souls.  Lodges  were  soon  up,  fires 


20  LAST  TWO  BRETHREN   LEAVE  ME. 

lighted,  and  the  whole  camp  busy  cooking  and  eating  fresh 
meat.  I  had  an  invitiation,  with  my  brethren,  to  eat  roast  or 
broiled  buffallo,  which  I  accepted  and  enjoyed  it  very  much.  I 
believe  I  ate  two  pounds  of  solid  meat  before  I  slept  that  night, 
without  feeling  the  least  inconvenience.  We  had  no  bread  nor 
potatoes  with  it,  which,  of  course,  makes  a  great  difference. 

The  camp  was  up  early  the  next  morning  and  moved  on  about 
four  miles,  without  breakfast,  when  we  stopped,  hoping  our 
hunters,  who  were  ahead  of  us,  would  find  more  game.  At 
sunset,  four  Indians  brought  in  two  fat  deer,  and  soon  others 
came,  bringing  two  buffaloes.  Shortly  after  the  deer  arrived, 
we  were  invited  to  dine  on  deer  meat,  which  we  found  very 
good.  At  first  I  found  it  rather  strange  to  eat  so  much  meat 
and  no  bread  with  it ;  but  I  soon  got  used  to  it.  I  had  been 
ten  weeks  living  on  bread  without  meat,  and  if  any  one  had 
asked  me  at  the  time  which  I  would  prefer  of  the  two,  if  I 
could  have  but  one,  I  should  have  chosen  bread  ;  but  afcer  I 
had  lived  on  meat  a  few  weeks,  I  would  have  said,  give  me 
meat,  rather  than  bread  alone. 


CHAPTERI  V. 

LAST  TWO  BRETHREN  LEAVE  ME— HOME-SICK — TONSORIAL 
EXPERIENCE — "WHADEE-SHIPPER,"  A  NEW  NAME  FOR 
ME — KINDNESS  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

THE  part  of  the  country  we  were  traveling  in  was  so  rough 
and  hilly  that  it  was  impossible  to  travel  with  a  wagon, 
so  Brothers  Kay  and  Bainbridge  concluded  to  leave,  which  they 
did  that  morning. 

I  have  not  forgotten  the  time  when  we  parted,  and  I  saw 
them  for  the  last  time  passing  over  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  each 
swinging  his  hat  as  a  token  of  good  by  and  good  wishes. 

How  different  our  positions  !  They  were  going  to  their  families 
and  friends,  while  I  was  to  remain  with  a  few  Indians,  or  wild 
men  of  the  desert. 


EXPERIENCE  AS  A  LADY'S  HAIR-DRESSER.  21 

I  must  confess  that  for  awhile  I  felt  a  little  homesick.  I 
started  for  a  deep  ravine  near  by,  out  of  sight  of  the  village, 
where  I  knelt  down  and  prayed  to  the  Lord  for  strength  and  an 
increase  of  faith,  that  I  might  accomplish  the  work  before  me 
with  cheerfulness  of  heart. 

After  this  I  felt  better,  and  went  to  the  chief's  lodge  and  got 
out  my  journal  to  write.  No  one  else  was  in  the  lodge  at  the 
time,  but  just  as  I  was  about  to  commence  writing,  a  couple  of 
young  squaws  entered  the  lodge  and  sat  down  beside  me.  The 
eldest  asked  me,  as  I  understood,  for  my  comb,  and  I  took  it 
from  my  pocket  and  offered  it  to  her,  thinking  they  wished  to 
comb  their  hair;  but,  to  my  surprise,  she  leaned  her  head 
towards  me,  asking  and  making  signs  for  me  to  comb  and  braid 
her  hair,  as  our  white  women  did  theirs.  At  first  I  concluded 
something  evil  was  intended,  and  they  were  sent  to  prove  me  ; 
but  I  soon  changed  my  mind,  and  believed  them  innocent  of 
any  wrong.  I  was  somewhat  confused,  I  assure  you,  in  making 
the  attempt  to  dress  a  lady's  hair,  and  blushed  consid- 
erably when  I  commenced,  which  they  observed,  and  both 
laughed. 

As  soon  as  I  had  finished  one  side  I  handed  my  comb  over  to 
her  companion,  for  her  to  do  the  other  side,  which  she  did,  and 
much  better  than  I  had  done.  When  this  was  done,  lady  No. 
1  combed  and  braided  the  hair  of  lady  No.  2,  very  nicely.  She 
then  returned  the  comb  to  me.  This  was  the  first  and  last 
hair-dressing  I  was  called  upon  to  perform  while  with  them. 
The  next  day  many  of  the  young  women  had  *their  hair 
arranged  in  the  same  style. 

I  remained  in  the  same  lodge  and  with  the  same  chief  as 
,  when  I  started  with  them.  This  same  evening  several  Indians 
came  to  his  lodge,  and,  after  talking  awhile,  sent  for  an  old 
Frenchman  who  had  been  with  them  a  number  of  years,  and 
could  speak  some  English.  They  told  him  they  were  pleased 
that  I  was  going  to  remain  with  theno.  It  was  good,  and  I  was 
a  sargey  morie-tongar*  which  is  "hardy  American,"  and  they 
would  give  me  the  name  of  their  fire  steel  (one  they  use 


* — Morie-tongar ,  is  the  name  they  give  to  all  Americans.  Morie  is  knife, 
and  Tongar  is  large  knife.  The  first  Americans  they  ever  saw  all  had  swords, 
which  they  called  large  knives ;  hence  their  name. 


22  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

with  a  Mint,  to  strike  tire  with,  which  they  call  whadee  siupptt'}. 
This  was  my  Indian  name  from  that  time.  This  was  soon  known 
by  the  Indians  in  the  village,  for  the  next  day  all  who  met  me 
called  me  by  my  new  name. 

I  continued  to  pass  through  every  stream  we  came  to,  and 
after  awhile  I  found  myself  almost  free  from  sores.  For  this  I 
felt  truly  thankful  and  much  encouraged. 

One  day  two  Indians  came  to  the  village  who  had  been 
visiting  their  sister,  who  was  married  in  the  Sioux  nation.  These 
men  informed  the  chief  that  a  band  of  the  Yankton  Sioux 
were  short  of  meat  and  robes  and  had  but  little  game  on  their 
land,  and  had  been  driving  off  buffalo  from  the  Poncas'  lands, 
which  was  the  cause  of  not  finding  buffalo  sooner  than  we 
did.  • 

We  took  early  starts  in  the  morning,  traveling  sometimes 
until  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  without  food.  All 
Indians  that  I  saw  on  this  trip  preferred  traveling  before  break- 
ing their  fast,  and  after  awhile  I  concluded  it  was  better  than 
starting  off  after  eating  a  hearty  meal. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  November ;  the  nights  were  frosty 
bnt  the  days  were  very  pleasant.  We  were  now  in  a  bleak  and 
cold  country,  with  but  little  grass  or  timber.  By  this  time 
my  legs  were  quite  healed,  for  which  I  gave  thanks  to  the 
Lord. 

Five  weeks  had  passed  since  I  left  our  camp  to  accompany 
the  Indians,  and  thus  far  I  had  enjoyed  myself. 

The  Indians  were  very  kind  to  me,  and  all  were  anxious  that 
I  should  learn  their  language.  While  traveling,  the  young 
men  would  walk  with  me,  show  me  the  '  'cut  off, ' '  or  nearest 
way  to  a  certain  point  we  would  have  to  pass,  and  every  day  I 
would  learn  a  new  word  or  two. 

I  started  with  one  pair  of  old  shoes,  which  lasted  me  but 
two  weeks,  when  one  of  the  chiefs  presented  me  with  a  new 
pair  of  buckskin  moccasins.  For  this  kind  act  I  blessed  him  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  found  them  very  easy  to  my  feet, 
and  could  walk  much  better  with  them  than  with  shoes.  After 
a  time,  though,  they  began  to  show  signs  of  wear,  and  one 
day  when  walking  with  the  son  of  a  chief,  he  looked  at  my 
feet  and  saw  my  toe  sticking  through  my  moccasin.  He 


KILLING  THE  GAME.  23 

immediately  said,  pashee  (which  means  "no  good,")  pulled  off 
his  own  moccasins  and  handed  them  to  me,  telling  me  to  put 
them  on,  which  I  did,  and  he  put  on  mine.  His  were  new, 
but  he  appeared  quite  pleased  that  he  had  them  to  give 
to  me. 


CHAPTER    V. 

A    BUFFALO      HUNT— A      THRILLING     SIGHT— CONVERSATIONS 
WITH  THE  INDIANS — SCURVY — ANSWER  TO  PRAYER. 

A  T  this  time  we  had  an  abundance  of  buffalo,  deer  and  elk 
4*-  meat,  killing  from  five  to  forty  buffaloes  in  one  day,  and  as 
I  have  witnessed  several  of  these  buffalo  hunts,  I  will  tell  my 
young  readers  how  the  Indians  proceed  in  hunting  and  killing 
them. 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  a  chief  or  president  over  every 
company  starting  out  to  hunt,  so  that  good  order  may  be  kept ; 
otherwise  the  buffaloes  would  be  frightened  away,  and  perhaps 
only  one  or  two  of  a  large  herd  be  killed. 

The  chief  in  charge,  when  first  in  sight,  calculating  the  num- 
ber there  are,  and  the  distance  from  them,  gives  his  orders, 
telling  who  must  follow  next  to  him,  and  who  next,  and  so  on 
until  about  twenty  of  those  who  have  good  horses  are  chosen 
to  follow  him.  After  these,  all  who  have  horses  follow  if  they 
choose  to  do  so. 

Sometimes  it  is  better  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  the  buffaloes, 
until  the  chief  and  his  chosen  men  scatter  the  band,  when 
those  behind  follow  the  buffaloes  and  soon  kill  them. 

The  chief  and  party  start  off,  walking  their  horses,  and  on  the 
lee  side  of  the  buffaloes,  until  they  are  seen  by  the  game,  which 
sometimes  does  not  occur  until  they  ride  within  a  few  rods 
of  them.  As  soon  as  the  buffaloes  see  these  horsemen  they 
run  from  them. 

The  chief,  riding  in  among  them,  first  picks  out  the  best  and 
fattest  animal  he  can  find,  and  kills  it.  Then  follow  the  others, 
each  doing  likewise.  By  this  time  the  herd  is  scattered. 
These  men  load  their  guns  again  and  follow  them,  killing  as 


24  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

many  as  they  can.  In  a  short  time  as  many  as  fifty  Indians 
are  after  them  on  horses,  and  the  buffaloes  scatter  all  over 
the  country.  They  can  be  seen  in  twos,  threes,  or  in  larger 
numbers,  with  Indians  trying  to  catch  up  with  them.  Those 
having  the  best  horses  kill  the  most  buffaloes. 

If  the  hunt  is  near  a  village,  which  is  often  the  case,  the 
old  men  and  women  go  out  and  skin  the  animals  killed,  and 
help  themselves  to  as  much  meat  as  they  can  pack.  The  robe 
belongs  to  the  party  who  killed  the  animal. 

At  one  hunt  there  were  about  400  buffaloes,  the  largest 
number  I  ever  saw  together  while  with  the  Indians. 

This  was  the  best  and  most  exciting  hunt  I  ever  saw,  and  I 
know  of  no  scene  that  I  ever  witnessed,  either  before  or  since, 
that  was  so  exciting  and  interesting  to  me.  I  saw  a  sham 
fight  in  1838,  when  20,000  British  troops  were  engaged  for 
three  hours,  and  were  viewed  by  Queen  Victoria,  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  Lord  Hill,  Marshal  Soult,  and  other  notables. 
The  troops  were  well  drilled,  equipped  in  splendid  style,  rode 
fine  horses,  and  when  moving  in  masses  from  one  place  to 
another  with  their  glittering  accoutrements,  breastplates,  hel- 
mets, etc. ,  they  presented  a  grand  appearance  ;  yet  it  was  not 
to  be  compared  for  real  interest  to  the  spectacle  presented  by 
this  buffalo  hunt. 

Each  Indian  had  nothing  but  a  blanket  or  robe  around  his 
loins,  and  carried  only  a  bow  and  a  quiver  of  arrows  (but  few 
having  guns)  for  his  weapons. 

To  see  those  Indians  galloping  at  full  speed,  with  their  hair 
flying  in  the  wind,  after  the  black,  wild  animals,  in  a  wild  and 
desert  country,  with  only  nature  for  their  instructor,  was  to 
me  the  most  thrilling  and  soul- stirring  sight  I  ever  beheld  in 
my  life,  and  one  I  shall  never  forget.  Old  as  I  am  (62  years), 
I  would  go  farther  to  see  another  such  a  hunt,  than  I  would 
to  see  a  sham  fight,  such  as  the  one  mentioned. 

Fifty  buffaloes  were  killed  in  this  hunt,  and  after  it  was 
over  we  remained  in  camp  for  three  weeks,  to  give  the  women 
a  chance  to  dry  the  meat  and  dress  the  robes,  as  we  had  no 
means  of  carrying  them  in  their  green  state. 

By  this  time  I  had  learned  codsiderable  of  their  language 
and  was  able  to  converse  tolerably  well  with  them ;  and,  when 


CONVERSATIONS   WITH  THE  INDIANS.  25 

sitting  in  the  evening  witll  some  of  the  chiefs,  they  would  ask 
me  to  talk  to  them  about  our  people,  wishing  to  know  where 
we  were  going,  and  why  we  were  going  so  far  from  our  white 
brethren,  etc. 

An  old  Frenchman  interpreted  for  us  as  I  talked,  he  know- 
ing that  I  could  understand  enough  of  their  language  to 
detect  it  if  he  did  not  translate  my  words  correctly.  I  gave 
them  a  brief  history  of  the  Church,  the  principles  taught  by 
the  Prophet  Joseph,  his  and  his  brother  Hyrum's  death,  and 
also  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  (having  one  with  me,  which 
I  showed  them).  I  also  told  them  where  their  forefathers 
came  from,  where  they  first  landed,  and  how  they,  like  us, 
had  been  scattered  and  driven  from  the  rising  almost  to  the 
setting  sun. 

These  conversations  were  many,  and  always  very  interesting 
to  them.  I  may  here  mention  that,  when  I  left  the  nation, 
the  chief  with  whom  I  stayed  asked  me  for  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, and  told  me  he  would  keep  it  as  long  as  he  lived,  and 
his  son  would  keep  it  after  him;  for  he  wanted  to  have  the 
book  that  could  give  the  history  of  their  fathers  always  with 
them.  I  handed  it  to  him,  and  he  thanked  me,  kissing  the 
book,  and  saying  it  would  be  good  medicine  for  his  people, for 
he  should  feel  as  though  his  fathers  were  with  them  when  he 
had  the  book. 

Eating,  as  I  had,  so  much  fresh  meat  without  vegetables  or 
bread,  and  having  but  little  exercise,  I  did  not  feel  as  well  as 
I  had  done,  and  found  a  kind  of  scurvy  breaking  out  on  my 
right  side.  I  had  seen  something  of  the  kind  on  some  of  the 
Indians,  but  nothing  so  bad  as  mine.  All  I  could  do  was  to 
apply  buffalo  fat  to  the  parts  affected. 

The  time  came  when  we  had  got  our  robes  dressed  and  meat 
sufficiently  dried  to  cache,  so  that  we  could  leave  the  next 
morning.  My  leg  was  swollen,  and  I  feared  if  it  continued  it 
might  get  so  bad  that  I  could  not  walk. 

I  prayed  at  night  that  the  Lord  would  cause  the  swelling  to 
go  down,  and  give  me  sufficient  strength  that  I  might  be  able 
to  walk  the  next  day. 

The  next  morning  the  swelling  was  gone,  and  I  was  able 
to  walk  nine  miles. 


26  A  STRING  OF   PEARLS. 

Here  we  killed  more  buffaloes,  and  stayed  a  few  days  to 
dry  meat,  which  we  did  by  cutting  it  about  an  inch  thick,  and 
putting  it  upon  sticks  above  the  fire  in  the  lodges. 

We  next  moved  on  to  the  upper  forks  of  Running  Water 
River,  and  very  near  to  the  extent  of  the  Poncas'  hunting 
ground.  Beyond  theirs  were  lands  belonging  to  the  Brules, 
a  tribe  of  the  Sioux. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

STRENGTH  IN  TIME  OF  NEED — AFFLICTED  LIKE  JOB,  WITH 
BOILS — SCRAPING  WITH  A  POTSHERD  PLEASANT— MY 
PRAYER  ROOM— DRESSING  BUFFALO  ROBES— DINING  ON 
COTTONWOOD  BARK — INDIAN  SELF-DENIAL. 

T  SUFFERED  much  pain  at  times  with  the  sores  that 
•*•  covered  my  right  side,  from  my  face  all  the  way  down 
to  my  ankle;  but,  strange  to  say,  the  swelling  on  my  knee,  which 
would  increase  after  each  day's  travel,  so  that  I  could  scarcely 
walk  across  the  lodge,  would  go  down  when  we  had  occasion  to 
travel,  so  that  I  could  walk  from  one  camping  place  to  the  next. 

Some  of  my  readers  may  think  I  imagined  this  to  be  the 
case,  but  it  was  no  imagination  of  mine,  for  this  continued  for 
several  weeks  just  as  I  have  stated. 

After  remaining  a  few  days  in  camp,  I  was  one  mass  of 
boils,  from  the  size  of  a  pea  to  that  of  a  small  marble,  and  so 
close  together  that  they  touched  each  other.  At  times  I 
suffered  a  great  deal  of  pain,  and  at  other  times  I  suffered 
with  itching,  which  was  terrible.  This  was  when  the  sores 
were  partially  healed,  and  the  surface  had  become  hard,  and 
while  in  this  state  I  often,  on  a  fine  day,  would  go  where  I  could 
not  be  seen,  get  on  the  sunny  side  of  a  hill,  strip  off  my  clothes, 
and,  with  a  flat  stick,  scrape  my  sores. 

I  had  read  of  Job  scraping  his  boils  with  a  potsherd,  and 
pitied  him,  but  if  he  took  as  much  comfort  as  I  did  in 
scraping  mine,  he  had  no  need  of  pity;  for  to  me  it  was  a 
great  pleasure  to  get  rid  of  the  itching,  and  the  scraping 
tended  to  relieve  me  in  this  respect.  The  boils,  however, 


MY  PRAYER    ROOM. 

would  only  remain  healed  about  a  week,  when  they  would 
begin  to  swell  for  a  few  days,  giving  much  pain,  and  then 
break  out  again,  which  caused  me  to  feel  faint  and  weak. 

Notwithstanding  this  affliction  I  felt  blessed  of  the  Lord, 
and  was  not  discouraged.  A  short  distance  from  the  village 
there  was  a  large  patch  of  plum  bush,  about  two  acres  in 
area,  with  deer  tracks  through  it,  and  a  large  space  clear  of 
brush  in  the  center.  This  I  chose  for  my  prayer  room  during 
my  stay  there.  I  asked  the  Lord  to  bless  and  sanctify  it  for 
this  purpose,  which  I  feel  assured  He  did.  I  went  there 
three  times  a  day  for  prayer,  and  I  felt  many  times,  when 
praying,  that  the  Lord  was  there. 

This  was  about  the  last  of  November;  the  weather  was  very 
cold,  and  there  was  some  snow  on  the  ground. 

It  was  a  busy  time  for  the  women,  who  were  all  engaged  in 
drying  meat,  and  dressing  robes  and  skins  for  sale.  We  had 
killed  up  to  date,  1,500  buffaloes,  besides  other  game. 

It  takes  from  two  to  three  days  to  dress  a  robe.  In  the  first 
place,  they  scrape  it  on  the  flesh  side  until  it  becomes  thin, 
then  they  soak  some  of  the  buffalo's  brains  in  warm  water, 
and  put  this  liquor  on  the  flesh  side  until  it  will  not  retain 
any  more.  The  brain  of  an  animal  is  sufficient  to  dress  its 
skin  or  robe,  and  sometimes  more  than  sufficient.  After  the 
robe  or  skin  has  become  well  soaked  through  with  the  brain 
liquor,  it  is  stretched  tight  upon  sticks,  with  the  skin  side  to 
the  sun,  if  the  weather  be  fine,  and  if  cloudy,  a  fire  is  made  to 
dry  it.  While  the  drying  process  is  going  on,  the  party  dress- 
ing it  rubs  it  on  the  flesh  side  with  a  piece  of  sandstone,  about 
the  size  of  a  brick.  This  is  continued  until  it  is  perfectly  dry 
and  soft.  All  robes  and  skins  are  dressed  in  this  manner 
except  small  skins,  which  are  rubbed  with  the  hands. 

On  a  fine  day,  I  have  seen  as  many  as  70  squaws  at  work  at 
one  time,  dressing  robes.  These  robes  and  skins  are  their 
harvest,  as  much  so  as  a  good  crop  of  grain  is  to  the  farmer,  as 
they  sell  all  they  do  not  need  to  traders,  who  are  licensed  to 
purchase  from  the  k Indians  by  the  government.  A  good  robe 
was  worth  about  two  dollars  in  cloth,  ammunition,  coffee, 
sugar,  salt,  etc.  Sometimes  the  Indians  would  give  three  or 
four  robes,  or  even  more  for  a  blanket,  which  was  thought 


28  A  STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

to  bo  much  bettor  to  wear  around  them  than  a  buffalo  robe. 
The  Indians  who  could  afford  to  wear  a  blanket,  considered 
themselves  much  better  dressed  than  their  fellows. 

The  lodges  were  all  made  of  buffalo  skins ;  it  took  from  five 
to  eighteen  skins,  according  to  the  size,  to  make  one  lodge. 
These  were  all  made  by  the  squaws. 

During  our  lengthy  stay  at  the  place  last  mentioned,  the 
weather  was  very  cold  and  stormy,  and  the  feed  for  our 
horses  was  very  poor ;  but  there  was  considerable  cotton  wood 
timber  growing  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  a  good  many 
of  the  young  trees  were  cut,  and  the  under  bark  used  to  feed 
the  horses.  They  were  very  fond  of  it,  and  1  was  informed 
by  the  Indians  that  this  bark,  during  the  winter  months  or 
before  the  buds  burst  in  spring,  was  nearly  as  good  for  them 
as  corn. 

I  may  here  mention  that  I  remember  testing  the  value  of 
this  bark  as  food,  myself,  during  our  return  journey.  We  had 
no  meat  for  three  days,  except  one  deer,  which  was  killed 
when  we  were  a  few  miles  from  our  meat  caches.  We  had 
hoped  to  find  game  on  our  journey,  but  finding  none,  we  were 
compelled  to  go  without.  The  third  day  I  felt  very  faint,  and 
it  struck  me  that  if  the  under  bark  of  the  cottonwood  tree 
would  feed  horses  and  they  could  live  on  it,  that  it  might  also 
serve  to  stay  my  hunger.  1  got  some  young  branches,  and 
scraped  off  a  lot  of  the. bark,  cutting  it  fine.  I  then  asked 
the  Lord  to  bless  and  sanctify  it  to  my  use.  I  took  a  mouth- 
ful, and,  after  chewing  it  for  some  time,  swallowed  the  juice. 
I  was  about  to  swallow  the  bark,  also,  when  it  was  suggested  to 
me  not  to  do  so,  that  if  I  did  it  would  clog  my  system,  but  that 
the  juice  would  not.  I  therefore  merely  chewed  the  bark, 
and  swallowed  a  few  mouthfuls  of  the  juice,  from  which  I 
found  relief.  For  this,  and  the  suggestion  not  to  swallow  the 
bark,  1  thanked  my  Heavenly  Father. 

When  the  deer  was  killed  upon  this  journey,. it  was  cut  up 
into  small  pieces,  and  distributed  to  as  many  as  it  would 
supply. 

Soon  after  this,  I  was  invited  to  eat  at  the  lodge  of  a  young 
chief  and  his  wife.  As  soon  as  I  reached  the  lodge,  a  piece 
of  this  deer  was  handed  to  me,  about  the  size  of  one's  hand. 


INDIAN    SELF-DENIAL.  29 

This  was  broiled,  and  intended  for  me  alone.  I  knew  they 
both  had  been  without  meat  as  long  as  I  had,  and  I  did  not 
think  they  had  partaken  of  bark  juice  as  I  had,  just  before. 

I  therefore  cut  a  small  piece  off  for  myself,  and  asked  them 
to  eat  the  remainder. 

The  chief  said :  "No !  Indian  eat  once  in  three  days — good ! 
If  not,  can  buckle  up  his  belt  tighter"  (which  he  did) ;  "but 
white  man,  or  morie  longer,  needs  to  eat  three  times  a  day." 

Neither  he  nor  his  wife  would  take  it,  so  I  ate  it. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

POLICE  REGULATIONS — A  MORAL  PEOPLE — MARRIAGE  CUS- 
TOMS— INVITATION  TO  A  FEAST — SKUNK  MEAT  AT  MID- 
NIGHT— INDIANS  CHEATED  BY  WHITE  TRADERS. 

THE  lodges,  during  our  stay  on  the  Upper  Forks  of  the 
Running  Water  River,  were  made  comfortably  warm  by 
banking  up  dry  sod  three  feet  high  around  them.  Inside  of 
the  lodges,  the  floor,  to  within  about  three  feet  of  the  fire,  all 
around,  was  covered  with  half-dressed  robes,  at  times  four 
deep,  which  made  it  good  to  sleep  upon. 

We  had  the  best  of  order  in  our  village.  Four  Indians  were 
appointed  every  day  to  ret  as  police.  These  had  their  faces 
blackened  when  on  duty.  Fresh  ones  were  appointed  daily  to 
guard  and  see  that  everything  was  orderly  in  the  village. 

I  had  been  informed  while  in  the  States  that  all  Indians 
were  very  licentious  and  degraded  in  their  character  and  habits. 
It  may  possibly  be  the  case  with  some  tribes,  but  from  the 
first  day  I  traveled  with  the  Poncas  up  to  the  last,  which  was 
six  nfonths,  I  never  saw  anything  that  would  cause  a  lady  to 
blush,  either  in  the  actions  of  a  male  or  female.  If  there  had 
been  anything  of  the  kind  I  would  have  seen  it,  for  I  was  at 
all  their  feasts  of  dancing  and  eating,  and  attended  three  of 
their  weddings. 

If  a  young  Indian  wants  to  marry,  and  finds  a  squaw  who  is 
inclined  to  receive  his  addresses,  he  goes  to  the  father  of  the 
young  woman  and  learns  from  him  the  worth  of  the  lady.  He 


30  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

also  finds  out  whether  he  would  be  acceptable  to  him  as  a  son- 
in-law.  If  the  match  is  agreeable  to  the  parent,  he  will  per- 
haps ask  three  horses  as  the  price  of  her,  sometimes  more, 
sometimes  less.  The  price  depends  somewhat  on  the  smart- 
ness of  the  girl.  If  she  can  braid  well,  and  dress  robes  and 
skins  first  rate,  and  is  well  qualified  for  the  labors  required  of 
her,  she  is  worth  more  horses  than  one  who  is  not  so  smart. 

When  the  price  is  settled  and  the  amount  paid,  the  next 
thing  for  the  young  Indian  to  do  is  to  prepare  a  home  for  his 
bride.  He  either  hires  part  0f  a  lodge,  purcashes  one  or  fur- 
nishes the  skins  for  his  intended  bride  to  make  one.  When 
this  is  done  he  goes  out  and  hunts  game,  brings  what  he  kills 
to  the  lodge  of  her  father,  and  hands  it  over  to  the  young 
woman,  who  cooks  some  and  gives  it  to  him  to  eat.  She  also 
makes  him  a  present  either  of  a  robe,  pair  of  leggings  or  a 
pair  of  moccasins.  Thus  he  proves  on  his  part  that  he  is 
willing  to  hunt  and  provide  for  her ;  and  she,  on  the  other 
hand,  shows  her  willingness  to  cook  and  make  what  clothing  he 
wishes.  This  is  all  that  is  needed  to  become  husband.and  wife. 
It  often  happens  that  a  young  Indian,  when  wanting  to 
marry,  is  poor,  and  does  not  own  any  horses.  In  such  a  case 
he  promises  to  help  his  father-in-law  to  hunt  until  he  gets  a 
horse,  or  horses. 

Sometimes  there  are  a  number  of  young  Indians  wanting  to 
marry,  but  cannot  do  so  for  want  of  horses  to  pay  for  the 
young  ladies.  When  such  is  the  case,  they  occasionally  lay 
their  plans  (unknown  to  their  chiefs)  for  a  raid  on  the  horses 
of  other  tribes  or  nations,  to  steal  what  they  need  for  the  pur- 
chase of  their  wives. 

This  occurred  once  while  I  was  with  them.  Eight  young 
Indians  were  gone  twenty- three  days,  and  returned  without 
any,  finding  the  horses  were  too  well  guarded. 

At  times,  when  the  Indians  have  had  horses  stolen  by* 
marauding  parties  from  other  nations,  the  chiefs  call  a  council 
of  the  braves,  and  choose  a  number  to  go  to  the  aggressors  as 
a  war  party,  and  get  back  their  horses  that  have  been  stolen, 
or  steal  some  better  ones  from  them.  This  party  are  all  fighting 
men,  and  often  have  to  fight  before  they  return,  whether  they 
get  any  horses  or  not. 


SKUNK  FEAST.  31 

The  war  parties  of  the  different  tribes  are  continually  active; 
and  each  tribe  has  to  be  on  the  watch,  to  prevent  its  horses 
being  stolen  while  in  herds  near  its  villages. 

All  foreign  war  parties  are  looked  upon  as  enemies,  and 
whenever  the  Indians  see  them  they  shoot  them  and  bring 
their  scalps  to  camp,  for  the  young  folks  to  dance  around  at 
their  evening  entertainments.  Sending  out  these  war  parties 
was  often  the  cause  of  the  different  nations  going  to  war,  and 
it  is  the  same  to  this  day. 

When  traveling,  we  would  often  see  a  foot  track  in  the  sand, 
or  an  arrow  or  moccasin  by  the  way.  As  soon  as  an  Indian 
saw  any  of  these  he  knew  by  what  tribe  they  had  been  left. 
When  I  asked  them  how  they  knew  this,  they  informed  me 
that  each  nation  made  shoes,  or  moccasins,  differing  somewhat 
in  shape  from  those  of  other  nations.  They  also  had  different 
colored  arrows,  so  that  those  of  each  nation  could  be  easily 
identified  by  any  one  acquainted  with  the  various  peculiarities. 
The  various  Indian  nations  are  distinguished  by  the  colors  of 
their  arrows  in  the  same  way  that  civilized  nations  are  by  the 
colors* of  their  flags. 

When  a  chief  prepares  a  feast  for  some  of  his  friends,  an 
Indian  is  sent  around  to  inform  the  party  invited.  This  is 
sometimes  done  before  the  food  is  prepared,  so  that  they  may 
have  a  smoke  and  a  talk  first.  The  Indian  who  goes  to  invite 
the  guests  does  not  go  into  their  lodges  to  do  so,  but  calls 
out  their  names,  and  tells  what  they  will  have  to  eat,  as  he 
passes  their  lodges.  These  are  the  words  they  would  use  if 
they  were  inviting  me:  "Ah-how  Whadee-ahipper,  monin,- 
gahow  munga  war-rattali  Wayger-sippeys  teah!"  which 

means:   U0h  S !    Walk  off!     Skunk  food  at  the  chiefs 

lodge!" 

They  think  skunk  meat  very  fine  food.  I  have  been  called 
up  at  midnight  to  go  to  a  skunk  feast.  When  dressed  and 
cooked  properly  the  meat  is  good;  if  not  cooked  properly  it  is 
very  strong,  so  much  so  that  one  can  taste  it  the  next  day 
after  eating  it. 

I  ate  quite  a  variety  of  food  while  with  them,  consisting  of 
fish  of  various  kinds,  buffalo,  elk,  deer,  antelope,  beaver, 
otter,  dog,  wolf,  skunk,  turkey,  duck,  crow  and  pigeon. 


32  A  STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

It  was  near  Christmas,  and  I  had  been  two  months  alone 
with  this  nation.  During  this  time  I  had  suffered  much  pain 
of  body,  but  in  spirit  I  had  felt  well,  and  never  felt  the  least 
discouraged,  or  even  sorry  I  had  left  the  camp  of  the  Saints. 
I  had  learned  considerable  of  their  language,  and  had  become 
acquainted  with  their  customs  and  manners  of  life,  all  of 
which  I  knew  would  be  useful  to  me,  and  to  the  camps  of 
Israel,  when  traveling  through  the  Indian  nations,  if  I  lived. 

I  had  looked  upon  these  Indians  of  the  desert  as  the 
enemies  of  the  white  men,  and  believed  "they  would  rob  and 
kill  them  whenever  found.  How  different  my  feelings  are 
towards  them  to-day !  No  nation  or  people  could  have  treated 
me  with  more  kindness.  I  lived  in  the  best  house,  or  lodge, 
in  the  village.  I  had  the  best  seat  (a  good  pillow)  at  their 
councils.  I  had  the  best  food  the  nation  afforded  to  eat,  and 
was  treated  by  the  chiefs,  soldiers,  braves  and  people,  both  old 
and  young,  as  though  I  was  their  king.  I  always  found 
they  wished  to  be  friendly  with  the  white  men  if  they  would 
treat  them  aright;  but  the  Indians  had  been  deceived  by  them 
in  trade  acid  treaty,  and  for  this  they  had  rebelled  at  times. 

Tlie  old  chiefs  always  taught  their  young  men  to  be  good, 
and  be  at  peace  if  others  wished  peace,  and  only  fight  when 
others  were  determined  to  fight  with  them. 

They  informed  me,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  white  men  had 
often  been  sent  to  trade  with  them  for  their  robes  and  skins, 
and  had  cheated  them  by  giving  less  and  poorer  goods  for 
their  things  than  they  had  promised;  thus  getting  their  robes 
for  little  or  nothing,  and  telling  them  that  they  would  send 
them  horses,  and  then  never  doing  it. 


SYMPTOMS   OF  DEATH.  33 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

SYMPTOMS  OF  DEATH—NO  HOPES  OF  LIVING— PONCA  MANNER 
OF  BURYING  THE  DEAD — DREAD  OF  HAVING  MY  BODY 
MANGLED  BY  THE  WOLVES — DECIDE  TO  BARGAIN  WITH 
THE  INDIANS  TO  CUT  UP  MY  BODY  AND  TAKE  IT  TO  MY 
FRIENDS— HAPPY  ASSURANCE  THAT  I  SHOULD  LIVE,  ETC. 

ON  Christmas  day  my  knee  and  right  side  were  badly 
swollen.  I  had  been  suffering  much  pain  for  two  days, 
and  I  feared  if  it  continued  the  disease  would  strike  inwardly, 
and  that  if  so,  I  could  not  live.  At  noon  my  knee  was  nearly 
as  large  as  my  head;  but  it  *did  not  hurt  me  to  walk  slowly, 
and  I  concluded  that  I  would  go  and  pray,  believing  it  would 
be  the  last  time  I  would  be  able  to  do  so,  for  my  faith  about 
living  had  left  me,  and  I  felt  that  I  could  not  live  twenty-four 
hours  longer. 

I  had  always  felt  very  indifferent  about  what  might  become 
of  my  body  after  death,  but  now  I  felt  quite  the  reverse. 

The  Ponca  Indians  bury  their  dead  in  a  shallow  hole,  packing 
a  mound  of  sward  over  the  body.  The  ground  was  so  deeply 
frozen  that  if  I  died  and  the  Indians  tried  to  give  me  a  decent 
burial,  they  could  not  possibly  dig  up  much  sod  to  put  over 
me — not  enough  to  protect  me  from  the  wolves,  which  were 
very  numerous  around  the  camp.  The  idea  of  my  body  being 
pulled  limb  from  limb,  and  scattered  all  over  the  country, 
caused  me  to  feel  very  sad,  for  you  must  know  I  felt  sure  I 
should  die,  and  that  too  in  a  few  hours. 

It  was  a  most  horrible  feeling,  for  I  could  almost  fancy  I 
saw  my  body  being  pulled  to  pieces  and  my  bones  picked  clean 
of  flesh  and  sinew,  and  scattered  all  over  the  country. 

While  these  horrible  thoughts  were  passing  through  my 
mind  I  was  steadily  nearing  my  prayer  room,  where,  on  arriv- 
ing, I  knelt  down  and  prayed  as  I  never  had  before. 

In  presenting  myself  to  the  Lord,  I  stated  my  feelings  as  I 
have  described  them,  asking  Him  to  spare  my  life  if  it  was  His 
will,  for  I  was  anxious  to  see  the  Saints  again;  but  if  not,  I 


34  A   STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

said,  "0  Lord,  Thy  will  be  done!"  1  asked  Him  to  protect  my 
body,  when  buried,  from  the  wolves,  that  it  might  not  be 
scattered  to  the  four  winds.  I  said,  "spare  it,  oh,  my  Father, 
and  let  it  rest  in  peace,  until  it  is  Thy  will  to  visit  some  of  my 
brethren  with  dream  or  with  vision,  that  they  may  know  of 
my  death,  and  the  location  of  this  poor  feeble  body. ' ' 

Much  more  was  said  by  me,  for  the  Spirit  of  God  was  upon 
me.  After  this,  and  while  walking  to  the  village  and  thinking 
of  what  had  passed,  it  was  suggested  to  me  that  I  need  not 
be  buried  there  at  all.  I  had  a  good  double  barrelled 
gun,  and  a  good  suit  of  clothes  at  the  camp  of  the  Saints. 
All  I  need  do  was  to  tell  the  chief  that  I  was  sick,  and  expected 
to  die,  and  when  dead  I  wanted  him  to  cut  into  quarters  my 
body,  pack  it,  and  send  it  to  my  chief  (Bishop  Miller),  that  I 
might  be  buried  with  the  Saints ;  and  for  doing  this,  I  would 
give  him  all  I  possessed. 

No  sooner  had  this  thought  suggested  itself  it  me,  than  I 
felt  it  was  an  answer  to  my  prayer,  and  I  there  and  then  praised 
the  Lord  for  His  goodness  and  kindness  towards  me. 

As  soon  as  I  reached  the  lodge,  I  got  out  my  journal  to 
write  in  it,  as  I  supposed,  for  the  last  time  (for  I  was 
suffering  much  pain  inwardly,  and  gradually  becoming  weaker), 
and  also  to  write  a  note  to  Brother  Miller,  authorizing  him  to 
give  up  my  clothes,  etc. ,  to  the  party  who  presented  my  body 
to  him. 

I  got  out  my  book,  tore  out  a  leaf  to  write  this  note,  dipped 
my  pen  (a  crow's  quill)  in  the  ink,  when  I  felt  impressed  to 
speak  as  follows : 

'  'Thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you,  my  servant ;  thy  prayers 
have  been  heard  and  accepted  of  me,  and  from  this  hour  thou 
shalt  commence  to  recover,  for  thou  shalt  live  and  not  die; 
thou  shalt  return  in  due-  time  to  the  camps  of  Israel;  thou 
shalt  be  gathered  to  the  place  I  have  appointed  for  the  gather- 
ing of  my  people;  thou  shalt  be  blessed  with  a  home  and 
habitation  with  my  Saints ;  and  thou  shalt  travel  much  and 
again  see  thy  sister  in  the  flesh. ' ' 

Much  more  was  at  the  same  time  manifested  to  me  by  the 
Spirit,  I  had  no  sooner  received  this  than  I  closed  the  book, 
believing  all  the  Spirit  had  said. 


PROMISES  FULFILLED.  35 

I  assure  all  who  may  read  this,  that  this  day's  experience 
was  worth  more  to  me  than  any  amount  of  this  world's  goods 
that  I  could  possibly  possess.  I  surely  rejoiced  that  day  in 
the  God  of  my  salvation  as  I  had  not  known  how  to  do  before. 

It  is  true  I  had  received  many  testimonies,  with  promises 
that  I  should  live,  and  had  in  different  ways  been  convinced 
of  the  existence  of  a  Grod,  and  the  truth  of  the  gospel  as 
taught  by  Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  but  this  day's  testimony 
was  under  different  circumstances  and  feelings.  I  had  given 
up  all  thoughts  of  living ;  I  had  no  fear  of  dying ;  my  only 
trouble  was  about  my  body  being  removed  arid  torn  to  pieces 
after  burial.  But  here,  when  doing-  my  last  work,  as  I  then 
believed  (writing  a  note  and  the  last  record  in  my  journal),  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  me,  and  I  received  the  glad 
tidings  that  I  should  live  and  not  die.  I  was  assured  that  I 
should  again  see  my  friends  and  brethren  in  the  Church, 
that  I  should  visit  my  sister  who  was  (and  is  now)  in  England  ; 
that  I  should  travel  much,  and  have  a  home  and  habitation 
with  the  Saints,  etc.  This,  to  me,  was  a  greater  testimony 
than  anything  I  had  ever  before  received. 

All  of  this  has  been  fulfilled  to  the  letter.  I  have  lived ;  I 
have  seen  my  sister  three  times  since  then ;  I  have  traveled 
much  (for  many  years  past  from  six  to  twenty  thousand  miles 
in  a  year),  and  I  have  a  home  and  a  habitation. 

How  little  the  outside  world  know  of  these  things,  or  of  the 
faith  of  the  Latter-day  Saints !  It  is  these  testimonies  that 
give  strength  and  faith  to  us  when  away  from  our  friends  on 
missions.  Had  I  not  been  with  those  Indians  as  I  was,  alone 
and  sorely  afflicted,  I  might  never  have  had  this  testimony. 

It  is  so  with  all  who  are  faithful  and  go  upon  missions. 
They  may  meet  with  trouble  and  be  persecuted,  but  the  Lord 
will  pour  out  His  Spirit  upon  them  to  such  a  degree,  that 
they  will  rejoice  in  their  afflictions,  and  be  glad  afterwards  that 
they  have  passed  through  such  trials. 

The  Lord  has  thus  blessed  thousands  who  have  been  sent 
upon  missions,  and  He  will  so  bless  many  thousands  more,  and 
even  more  abundantly  as  our  works  and  faith  increase. 


36  A    STRING    OF   PEARLS 


CHAPTER   IX. 

VISIT  FROM  THE  BRULES — FEAST  ON  DOG  MEAT — SEAT  OF 
HONOR  ON  THE  PILLOW — RETURN  JOURNEY — OPENING 
CACHES — SHOOTING  FISH— CURIOUS  MANNER  OF  COOK- 
ING FISH. 

SOON  after  Christmas  we  had  a  visit  from  a  party  of  Brules. 
The  chief  of  this  nation  was  a  fine-looking  man,  about 
sixty  years  of  age.  He  has  died  since  then.  His  name  was 
Wah-bah-hooter,  or  "long-mane"  (long  hair).  Only  a  small 
portion  of  the  nation  came,  the  others  being  on  a  buffalo 
hunt.  Their  hunting  ground  adjoins  that  of  the  Poncas  on 
the  south,  and  continues  as  far  as  old  Laramie  Fort,  which  the 
Saints  used  to  pass  when  traveling  to  Salt  Lake  Valley.  Some 
nine  of  the  chiefs  accompanied  this  Sioux  chief  and  his  band. 
This  visit  was  for  business  as  well  as  for  pleasure,  and  consider- 
able trading  was  done  on  both  sides  in  robes,  skins,  blankets, 
horses  and  tobacco.  While  some  were  attending  to  business, 
others  were  visiting  and  feasting,  and  many  of  the  young  men 
and  women  were  dancing. 

Here  I  took  my  first  meal  of  dog,  this  being  the  first  great 
feast  of  the  season  (harvest  feast,  if  you  please). 

All  the  visiting  chiefs  were  invited,  as  well  as  the  ruling 
chiefs  of  the  Poncas,  twenty-two  in  number. 

The  old  Frenchman  came  to  me  that  morning  and  informed 
me  of  the  grand  "dog  feast"  in  contemplation. 

I  told  him  I  could  not  eat  dog  meat,  and  should  go  off  from 
the  village  until  all  was  over. 

He  advised  me  not  to  do  that,  as  it  would  be  sure  to  make 
the  chiefs  angry  at  me,  for  I  would  soon  be  invited.  He  also 
informed  me  that  the  dogs  they  cook  and  eat  are  not  the 
common  ones. 

This  edible  dog  is  fed  and  raised  especially  for  the  table.  It 
is  a  kind  of  poodle.  I  had  often  seen  the  sqaws  carrying  little 
curly  pups  in  bags  at  their  backs,  and  had  also  seen  them 
being  fed  on  boiled  meat  and  broth.  These,  I  now  learned, 
were  being  raised  for  the  '  'grand  feasts. ' ' 


FEAST  ON   DOG  MEAT.  37 

About  noon,  a  chief  passed  around  the  village,  inviting  the 
guests,  telling  us  the  feast  consisted  of  shanoodah  warratta 
(dog  food). 

I  found  on  entering  the  lodge  all  the  visiting  chiefs  present, 
and  seated  on  each  side  of  the  Ponca  chief.  On  his  right 
was  a  large  feather  pillow,  or  cushion,  the  chief,  War-bah- 
lioota,  sitting  upon  one  end  of  it. 

As  soon  as  I  entered,  and  was  introduced  to  him  and  the 
other  chiefs,  he  and  they  shook  me  by  the  hand,  saying,  Ah 
how  caggee  ?  which  is,  "How  do  you  do,  friend?"  I  was  then 
invited  to  sit  on  the  other  half  of  the  cushion. 

The  pipe  of  peace  was  next  in  order,  while  our  dog  dinner 
was  being  cooked  in  a  large  kettle  before  us. 

I  well  remember  my  feelings  while  this  was  going  on,  and 
glad  indeed  would  I  have  been  if  I  could  have  fasted  instead 
of  feasting. 

Our  smoke  ended,  the  kettle  was  removed  from  the  fire  and 
the  contents  (four  dogs)  were  put  into  the  same  large  bowl  I 
first  ate  out  of.  The  chief,  our  host,  carved  them,  giving 
each  a  piece,  and  after  a  long  grace  had  been  said,  the  eating 
commenced. 

I  had  pictured  to  myself  the  eating  of  dog  a  great  many 
times,  but  never  expected  to  engage  in  the  actual  practice; 
but  here  I  was  with  two  nations  of  people  who  were  dog- 
eaters,  at  a  dog  feast,  and,  to  see  them  eat,  one  would 
certainly  think  they  were  "dogged"  hungry. 

The  chief  had  cut  me  a  piece  off  the  hind  quarter,  that 
being  a  choice  part.  I  placed  a  piece  of  it  in  rny  mouth, 
expecting  it  would  be  very  strong ;  but  in  this  I  was  agree- 
ably disappointed,  for  I  found  the  flavor  very  much  like  that 
of  a  small  roast  pig,  and,  as  I  was  hungry,  I  ate  most  of  what 
was  offered  to  me. 

After  this,  another  smoke  and  talk  occurred,  when  I  was 
asked  a  number  of  questions  about  our  people's  history,  travels 
and  religion,  all  of  which  I  answered  as  I  had  done  when 
questioned  by  the  Po-ncas. 

The  Brules  seemed  to  listen  attentively,  and  appeared 
pleased  with  my  answers,  and  invited  me  to  visit  them  some 
time. 


38  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

Both  parties  appeared  to  have  a  good  time,  and  after  the 
trading  was  done  the  Brules  left  for  their  hunting  grounds, 
while  we  packed  up  and  started  back  for  the  camps  of  the 
Saints,  about  two  hundred  miles  distant. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  January,  1847.  The  disease  with 
which  I  was  troubled  had  almost  left  me,  though  I  still  had 
some*  sores  on  my  right  side,  about  the  size  of  the  palm  of 
one's  hand. 

We  continued  to  travel,  stopping  occasionally  by  the  way 
to  open  our  caches,  and  get  out  the  meat  and  half-dressed 
robes  we  had  deposited  as  we  passed  up.  Both  robes  and 
meat  we  found  in  excellent  condition,  being  free  from  mold  of 
any  kind.  These  balls  of  meat,  as  they  are  called,  were  large, 
weighing  from  seventy  to  one  hundred  pounds  each,  and  con- 
sisted of  layers  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch  thick,  which 
had  been  dried  over  the  fire  or  in  the  sun. 

The  prime  pieces,  when  broiled  or  raw,  are  very  good  eating, 
the  coarse  pieces  are  pounded  fine  on  a  rock  prepared  for 
the  purpose,  and  eaten  with  the  marrow  taken  from  the  bones 
of  buffalo  and  elk.  This  marrow,  with  the  dry  pounded  meat, 
is  very  palatable. 

From  the  middle  of  the  month  the  weather  was  fine  and  dry, 
and  very  good  for  hunting  and  the  dressing  of  robes  and  small 
skins,  although  game  of  all  kinds  was  scarce. 

When  traveling  near  the  river,  the  young  braves,  who  were 
very  expert  with  the  bow  and  arrow,  could  frequently  be  seen 
shooting  fish.  I  have  often  seen  them  standing  in  the  water, 
shooting  the  fish  as  they  passed  by  them,  and  have  known  one 
Indian  (the  best  shot  in  camp)  to  kill  from  four  to  seventeen 
good-sized  fish  in  two  hours.  This  was  to  me  very  interesting 
sport. 

The  Indians'  method  of  cooking  fish  is  very  different  to 
ours.  After  making  a  good  wood  fire  and  getting  a  quantity 
of  hot  ashes,  they  wrap  the  fish  in  clean,  wet  grass,  put  it 
under  the  hot  ashes,  add  mere  wood  to  the  fire,  and  so  let  it 
remain  until  the  fish  is  cooked,  which  takes  from  one  to  two 
hours,  according  to  size. 

This  may  appear  a  very  strange  way  of  cooking  to  my 
readers,  but  it  proved  to  me  a  very  good  one,  and  the  fish  is 


NOVEL  MODE  OF  COOKING.  39 

much  sweeter,  I  think,  than  when  fried  in  lard  or  butter, 
according  to  our  custom. 

Digressing  from  my  narrative,  I  may  remark  that  I  remem- 
ber when  in  camp  in  Echo  Canyon,  one  of  the  brethren 
brought  a  beef's  head  to  our  mess,  and  when  asked  by  the 
cook  what  he  was  going  to  do  with  it,  said,  "Cook  it  for  break- 
fast in  the  morning, ' ' 

We  supposed  he  would  boil  or  fry  the  meat,  but  when 
asked  a  short  time  before  breakfast  how  he  proposed  cooking  the 
"joint,"  that  we  might  test  his  skill  in  the  culinary  art,  he  told 
us  it  would  be  roasted  and  ready  when  the  cook  was  ready  to 
serve  breakfast.  He  was  as  good  as  his  word,  for  as  soon  as 
the  cook  removed  the  fried  meat,  biscuits,  etc. ,  from  the  fire, 
our  friend  took  a  fire  shovel,  scraped  the  ashes  from  the  fire, 
and  .lifted  the  head,  well  wrapped  and  well  cooked,  from  under 
the  ashes.  He  had  been  ox  guard  during  a  part  of  the  night, 
and  had  placed  it  there  at  midnight.  It  was  better  cooked 
and  sweeter  than  any  I  had  ever  eaten  before. 


CHAPTER   X. 

CHOSEN  TO  GO  AS  ENVOY  TO  THE  CAMP  OF  THE  SAINTS — A 
SOLITARY  JOURNEY — SURROUNDED  BY  THOUSANDS  OF 
WOLVES — PROVIDENTIAL  DELIVERANCE — HAPPY  SIGHT,  A 
YOKE  OF  OXEN — TEARS  OF  JOY — MEET  TWO  OF  MY 
FRIENDS — SAFE  RETURN  TO  THE  CAMP  OF  THE  SAINTS. 

ABOUT  the  middle  of  February  we  had  traveled  to  within 
ninety  miles  of  our  brethren's  winter  quarters,  and  about 
sixty  miles  from  where  the  Poncas  always  did  their  trading 
with  the  Frenchmen  who  were  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Sarpee, 
the  only  licensed  trader  for  the  Indians  in  the  country  west  of 
the  Missouri  River. 

These  men  were  to  meet  the  Indians  about  the  1st  of  March, 
and  two  Indian  runners  had  been  sent  to  meet  these  traders 
with  their  goods,  and  inform  them  where  and  when  the 
Indians  would  be  prepared  for  business.  Some  of  the  chiefs 
were  very  anxious  to  have  our  brethren  purchase  goods  and 


40  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

trade  with  them  at  the  same  time,  and,  in  order  that  they 
might  know  the  time  and  place,  they  requested  me  to  go  and 
inform  them.  This  I  was  quite  willing  to  do,  for  I  felt  that  I 
had  done  all  I  could,  so  far  as  my  mission  with  them  was 
concerned. 

At  sunrise  the  next  morning,  I  started  with  a  small  piece  of 
dried  buffalo  meat,  a  small  buffalo  robe  and  my  gun.  The  day 
was  fine.  I  took  the  Indian  trail  all  the  way,  and  most  of  the 
time  kept  near  the  banks  of  the  Running  Water  River.  I 
traveled  about  thirty  miles,  and  about  sunset  concluded  to 
look  for  a  secluded  place  to  sleep.  About  half  a  mile  from  the 
trail  I  found  a  small  ravine  in  which  there  was  a  quantity  of 
dry  leaves  under  some  large  trees.  After  broiling  a  piece  of 
meat  I  ate  my  supper,  and,  thanking  the  Lord  for  His  pro- 
tecting care  over  me,  lay  down  upon  the  leaves  and  soon  fell 
asleep.  I  did  not  wake  until  day-break,  when  I  left  my 
comfortable  bed  of  leaves,  washed,  and  partook  of  another 
small  piece  of  meat.  I  called  upon  the  Lord  for  protection 
and  strength  for  the  day's  journey,  and  left  at  sunrise  with  a 
light  heart  and  a  determination  to  walk  thirty  miles  before 
sleeping  again. 

The  day  was  fine  but  the  roads  were  heavy,  on  account  of 
the  melting  snow,  which  I  found  in  large  drifts. 

About  noon  I  was  startled  by  hearing  the  howling  of  many 
wolves  to  the  right  of  me.  I  looked  in  that  direction  and  saw, 
as  I  estimated,  thousands  of  them  coming  directly  towards 
me,  and  only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant. 

I  felt  very  much  alarmed,  for  they  appeared  as  though  they 
were  coming  to  devour  me. 

I  first  thought  I  would  fire  at  them  and  frighten  them,  but 
feared  if  I  injured  any  of  them  they  might  become  desperate 
and  seek  revenge. 

I  hurriedly  asked  the  Lord  to  spare  my  life,  and  by  this 
time  they  were  within  forty  yards  of  me.  I  then  commence 
to  yell  with  all  my  might  and  for  dear  life,  for  I  feared  that  if 
they  attacked  me  I  should  not  live  a  minute. 

No  sooner  did  I  yell  than  they  all  stopped  and  looked  at 
me,  and  I  at  them.  All  fear  of  them  had  left. me,  and  they 
and  I  continued  to  gaze  at  each  other. 


HAPPY  MEETING.  41 

After  taking  a  good  look  at  me,  they  divided,  half  passing 
to  the  right  and  half  to  the  left,  all  looking  at  me  as  they  passed. 

As  soon  as  they  had  all  left  me  I  thanked  my  Heavenly 
Father  for  this  goodness  towards  me  in  preserving  my  life. 
This  was  the  largest  pack  of  wolves  I  ever  saw  or  heard  of. 

I  soon  passed  on,  but  with  very  peculiar  feelings,  which  I 
must  leave  the  reader  to  imagine,  for  it  would  be  impossible 
for  me  to  describe  them.  Indeed,  I  think  it  would  be  some- 
what difficult  for  a  person  to  imagine  how  I  felt,  unless  he  had 
been  placed  in  similar  circumstances,  where  death,  in  a  most 
horrid  form,  seemed  imminent  one  minute,  and  the  danger 
past  almost  in  the  next. 

A  little  before  sunset  that  day,  I  felt  as  though  I  had 
walked  my  thirty  miles,  or  perhaps  more,  and  that  I  had 
better  look  out  quarters  for  the  night,  that  I  might  rest  well, 
and  get  an  early  start  in  the  morning,  as  I  hoped  to  reach  the 
camp  of  the  Saints  the  next  day. 

While  walking  up  a  small  ravine,  searching  for  a  secluded 
place  to  sleep,  I  was  greatly  surprised  at  seeing  a  yoke  of 
cattle  grazing  on  the  hill  near  by.  I  could  scarcely  believe  my 
eyes,  when  I  soon  found  them  to  be  not  only  tame,  oxen,  but 
actually  belonging  to  my  brethren. 

This  was  such  an  unexpected  pleasure,  that,  foolish  as  it 
may  appear,  I  cried  for  joy.  I  believed  that  the  owners  of 
the  cattle  were  not  far  off,  so  I  climbed  a  hill,  and  saw,  at  a 
short  distance,  a  wagon  and  the  smoke  from  a  camp  fire. 

I  looked  no  further  for  a  sleeping  place,  but  started  for  the 
wagon. 

I  had  not  gone  far  before  I  met  two  brethren,  named 
respectively,  Matthews  and  Foutze.  They  were  somewhat 
startled  at  seeing  me,  and,  afer  the  first  exclamation  of 

surprise,  Brother  Matthews  said,  "Why,  Brother  S ,  is  it 

you?  You  are  like  one  raised  from  the  dead;  for  we  were 
informed  by  the  Indians  that  you  were  killed  before  last 
Christmas. ' ' 

Both  brethren  shook  me  heartily  by  the  hands,  and  thanked 
the  Lord  that  I  was  alive. 

Their  supper  was  ready,  and  here  I  ate  bread  for  the  first 
time  for  eighteen  weeks.  I  ate  but  little  else,  and  soon  found 


42  A   STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

that  I  had  taken  too  much,  and  I  suffered  a  great  deal  of  pain 
during  the  night  as  a  consequence. 

After  this  meal  I  ate  but  little  bread  at  a  time,  until  I  could 
digest  it  without  pain. 

The  next  evening  we  reached  the  camp,  or  winter  quarters,  of 
the  Saints. 

The  news  of  my  arrival  was  soon  known,  and  before  I  could 
getj  out  of  the  wagon  I  was  met  by  a  number  of  old  traveling 
companions,  all  of  whom  gave  me  a  hearty  welcome,  and  such 
a  shaking  of  the  hands  as  I  never  had  before  or  since. 

A  number  of  my  brethren  invited  me  to  their  houses,  but  I 
preferred  to  go  to  a  log  house  kept  for  Indians,  until  I  had 
thoroughly  washed  myself  and  changed  my  clothes. 

At  this  time  I  was  free  from  all  sores,  except  a  small  patch 
upon  my  right  side. 

Thus  ended  my  Indian  mission,  which  (although  at  times  I 
suffered  much)  was  to  me  a  very  interesting  part  of  my  life. 

Through  my  experience  upon  that  mission,  I  became  better 
acquainted  with  the  dealings  of  the  Lord  with  His  servants 
when  alone.  I  know  assuredly  that  He  will  hear  and  answer 
our  prayers,  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  if  we  do 
and  ask  aright. 

Before  I  close,  let  me  say  to  those  who  have  read  this 
reminiscence,  never  allow  your  faith  to  fail  you,  but  trust  in 
the  Lord  and  continue  to  pray  to  Him,  and  He  will  answer 
you.  If  He  should  notr  at  first,  pray  again,  and  again,  and 
exercise  faith,  arid  I  do  know  you  will  be  answered  and  blessed 
of  the  Lord. 


ANIiCDOTUS    OF 

ELDER    GRANT. 


By    T.     B.     LEWIS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

REPUTATION  AS  A  RFADY  SPEAKER — PUTTING  HIM  TO  THE 
TEST — SERMON  FROM  A  BLANK  TEXT — ENTHUSIASM  AT 
THE  CLOSE  OP  IT — A  COLLECTION  PROPOSED — THE  MIN- 
ISTER OBJECTS  TO  PASSING  THE  HAT— THEY  COMPEL  HIM 
TO — HANDSOME  COLLECTION — DISCUSSION  WITH  A  GREAT 
BAPTIST  PREACHER— PREACHER  NONPLUSSED  BY  ELDER 

GRANT'S  REPARTEE. 

WHEN  on  a  mission  to  the  State  of  Virginia,  a  few  years 
since,  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  labor  in  that  portion  of  the 
State  which  had  been  visited  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  years 
previously  the  late  President  Jedediah  M.  Grant. 

From  what  I  could  learn  of  him  then,  he  certainly  was  a 
most  remarkable  man.  He  seemed  to  live  fresh  in  the  mem- 
ories of  all  classes ;  and  they  never  grew  tired  of  relating  to  me 
many  reminiscences  connected  with  his  fruitful  labors  in  thei  r 
midst ;  and  I  never  became  weary  of  listening  to  these  most 
interesting  narrations.  His  career  there,  as  elsewhere,  was 
marked  with  abundant  evidences  in  proof  of  his  claim  to  be 
"a  Servant  of  God,  with  a  divine  commission."  Through  the 
power  of  God  existing  with  him,  and  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  he  was  not  only  prepared  to  propagate  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  gospel,  as  restored,  but  also  to  meet  the  powerful 
enemies  of  the  truth  that  arrayed  themselves  against  him  and 
the  Church,  as  they  were  wont  to  do  in  the  early  history  of 
the  work. 


44  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

Thinking  the  young  Latter-day  Saints  would  be  interested 
in  a  narration  of  some  of  these  events,  I  will  give  them  as 
they  were  given  me,  as  near  as  I  can  recall  them  after  a  lapse 
of  ten  years. 

In  the  early  part  of  President  Grant's  ministry  in  that 
country,  he  gained  quite  a  reputation  as  a  ready  speaker,  fre- 
quently responding  to  invitations  to  preach  from  such  subjects 
or  texts  as  might  be  selected  at  the  time  of  commencing  his 
sermon,  by  those  inviting  him. 

In  time  it  became  a  matter  of  wonder  with  many  as  to  how 
and  when  he  prepared  his  wonderful  sermons.  In  reply  to 
their  queries  he  informed  them  that  he  never  prepared  his 
sermons  as  other  ministers  did.  He  said,  "Of  course,  I  read 
and  store  my  mind  with  a  knowledge  of  gospel  truths,  but  I 
never  study  up  a  sermon." 

Well,  they  did  not  believe  he  told  the  truth,  for,  as  they 
thought,  it  was.  impossible  for  a  man  to  preach  such  sermons 
without  careful  preparation.  So,  in  order  to  prove  it,  a 
number  of  persons  decided  to  put  him  to  the  test,  and  asked 
him  if  he  would  preach  at  a  certain  time  and  place,  and  from 
a  text  selected  by  them.  They  proposed  to  give  him  the  text 
on  his  arrival  at  the  place  of  meeting,  thus  giving  him  no 
time  to  prepare. 

To  gratify  them  he  consented. 

The  place  selected  was  Jeifersonville,  the  seat  of  Tazewell 
County,  at  -that  time  the  home  of  the'  late  John  B.  Floyd 
(who  subsequently  became  secretary  of  war),  and  many  other 
prominent  men. 

The  room  chosen  was  in  the  court  house.  At  the  hour 
appointed  the  house  was  packed  to  its  utmost  capacity. 

Mr.  Floyd  and  a  number  of  lawyers  and  ministers  were 
present,  and  occupied  front  seats. 

Elder  Grant  came  in,  walked  to  the  stand  and  opened  the 
meeting  as  usual.  At  the  close  of  the  second  hymn,  a  clerk, 
appointed  for  the  occasion,  stepped  forward  and  handed  a 
paper  (the  text)  to  Elder  Grant. 

Brother  Grant  unfolded  the  paper  and  found  it  to  be  blank. 
Without  any  mark  of  surprise,  he  held  the  paper  up  before 
the  audience,  and  said : 


SERMON  FROM  A  BLANK  TEXT.  45 

"My  friends,  I  am  here  to-day  according  to  agreement, 
to  preach  from  such  a  text  as  these  gentlemen  might  select 
for  me.  I  have  it  here  in  my  hand.  I  don't  wish  you 
to  become  offended  at  me,  for  I  am  under  promise  to 
preach  from  the  text  selected;  and  if  any  one  is  to  blame, 
you  must  blame  those  who  selected  it.  I  knew  nothing  of 
what  text  they  would  choose,  but  of  all  texts  this  is  my 
favorite  one. 

"You  see  the  paper  is  blank"  (at  the  same  time  holding -it 
up  to  view). 

"You  sectarians  down  there  believe  that  out  of  nothing 
God  created  all  things,  and  now  you  wish  me  to  create  a  ser- 
mon from  nothing,  for  this  paper  is  blank. 

"Now,  you  sectarians  believe  in  a  God  that  has  neither 
body,  parts  nor  passions.  Such  a  God  I  conceive  to  be  a  per- 
fect blank,  just  as  you  find  iny  text  is. 

"You  believe  in  a  church  without  prophets,  apostles, 
evangelists,  etc.  Such  a  church  would  be  a  perfect  blank, 
as  compared  with  the  church  of  Christ,  and  this  agrees  with 
my  text. 

"You  have  located  your  heaven  beyond  the  bounds  of  time 
and  space.  It  exists  nowhere,  and  consequently  your  heaven 
is  blank,  like  unto  my  text." 

Thus  he  went  on  until  he  had  torn  to  pieces  all  the  tenets  of 
faith  professed  by  his  hearers ;  and  then  he  proclaimed  the 
principles  of  the  gospel  in  great  power. 

He  wound  up  by  asking,  "Have  I  stuck  to  the  text,  and 
does  that  satisfy  you?" 

As  soon  as  he  sat  down,  Mr.  Floyd  jumped  up  and  said: 
"Mr.  Grant,  if  you  are  not  a  lawyer,  you  ought  to  be  one." 
Then,  turning  to  the  people,  he  added:  "Gentlemen,  you  have 
listened  to  a  wonderful  discourse,  and  with  amazement.  Now, 
take  a  look  at  Mr.  Grant's  clothes.  Look  at  his  coat !  his 
elbows  are  almost  out ;  and  his  knees  are  almost  through  his 
pants.  Let  us  take  up  a  collection. ' ' 

As  lie  sat  down,  another  eminent  lawyer,  Joseph  Stras,  Esq. , 
still  living  in  Jefferson ville,  arose  and  said : 

"I  am  good  for  one  sleeve  in  a  coat  and  one  leg  in  a  pair  of 
pants,  for  Mr.  Grant, ' ' 


46  A   STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

The  presiding  elder  of  the  M.  E.  church,  South,  was 
requested  to  pass  the  hat  around,  but  replied  that  he  would 
not  take  up  a  collection  for  a  '  'Mormon' '  preacher. 

"Yes  you  will!"  said  Mr.  Floyd. 

"Pass  it  around !"  said  Mr.  Stras,  and  the  cry  was  taken  up 
and  repeated  by  the  audience,  until,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  the 
minister  had  to  yield.  He  accordingly  marched  around  with 
a  hat  in  his  hand;  receiving  contributions,  which  resulted  in  a 
collection  sufficient  to  purchase  a  tine  suit  of  clothes,  a  horse, 
saddle  and  bridle  for  Brother  Grant,  and  not  one  contributor 
a  member  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints, 
though  some  joined  subsequently.  And  this  from  a  sermon 
produced  from  a  blank  text. 

At  another  time,  Elder  Grant  was  challenged  by  a  very 
eminent  Baptist  preacher,  named  Baldwin,  to  a  discussion. 

Brother  Grant  consented. 

The  place  chosen  was  the  fine,  large  church  of  his  proud 
and  imperious  antagonist. 

Mr.  Baldwin  was  described  to  me,  as  a  man  who  was  over- 
bearing in  his  manner — a  regular  browbeater. 

When  the  time  came  for  the  discussion,  the  house  was 
densely  crowded. 

Umpires  were  chosen,  and  everything  was  ready  to  pro- 
ceed, when  Brother  Grant  arose  and  said,  "Mr.  Baldwin,  I 
would  like  to  ask  you  a  question  before  we  proceed  any 
farther."  ., 

"Certainly  so,"  said  Baldwin. 

"Who  stands  at  the  head  of  your  church  in  South- WTest 
Virginia?" 

Mr.  Baldwin  very  quickly  and  austerely  replied,  "I  do,  sir; 
I  do." 

' l  All  right, ' '  said  Brother  Grant ;  '  'I  wished  to  know  that 
I  had  a  worthy  foe. ' ' 

Mr.  Baldwin  looked  a  little  confused  for  a  moment,  and  then 
said: 

"Mr.  Grant,  I  would  like  to  ask  you  who  stands  at  the  head 
-  of  your  Church  in  South- West  Virginia?" 

Brother  Grant  arose  and  with  bowed  head  replied,  "Jesus 
Christ,  sir." 


CHARACTER  OF  ELDER  GRANT.  47 

The  shock  was  electrical.  This  inspired  answer  completely 
disarmed  the  proud  foe,  and  the  humble  servant  of  God  again 
came  off  victor. 


CHAPTER  II 

CURIOUS  COINCIDENCE — IMPRESSION  UPON  MISS  FLOYD — HER 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  —  CHALLENGED  BY  MR.  RUBY- 
MEETING  BY  CHANCE — ELDER  GRANT'S  ESTIMATE  OF  MR. 

RUBY— THE  PREACHER  COWED. 

IT  was  the  good  fortune  of  Elder  Grant  to  be  the  first  to 
open  the  door  of  salvation  to  the  people  of  South-Western 
Virginia,  upon  whom  he  made  an  impression  that  time  does  not 
seem  to  remove.  This  impression  was  the  result  of  his  honesty 
and  truthfulness,  and  his  readiness  to  meet  the  foes  of  truth, 
added  to  his  peculiar  clearness,  force  and  power  in  preaching 
the  divine  principles  of  the  gospel.  He  was  an  earnest  worker. 
Through  his  earnestness,  sincerity  and  practical  common  sense, 
he  was  often  thrown  into  the  society  of  men  and  women  of 
the  highest  culture  and  intelligence  that  the  State  contained. 

In  this  connection  a  rather  singular  coincidence  ig.  related. 

About  the  time  of  his  first  appearance  in  Burke' s  Garden 
Tazewell  County,  Virginia,  lie"  held  his  meetings,  generally,  at 
the  residence  of  Colonel  Peter  Litz,  a  man  of  considerable 
wealth  and  influence  at  that  time. 

At  one  of  these  meetings,  I  think  about  the  second,  a  very 
large  concourse  of  people  had  assembled,  and  it  was  decided, 
on  account  of  the  size  of  the  congregation,  to  hold  the  meeting 
in  the  orchard,  there  being  a  beautiful  blue  grass  lawn  beneath 
the  trees. 

It  was  the  Sabbath  day.  That  morning,  a  Miss  Floyd, 
sister  of  the  late  John  B.  Floyd,  who  lived  a  few  miles  distant, 
was  reading  the  Bible,  and  accidentally  turned  to  the  passage, 
'  'Prove  all  things ;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good. ' ' 


48  A  STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

She  arose  immediately,  ordered  her  carriage,  and  said : 
"Inspired  by  that  injunction,  I  will  go  and  hear  what  that 
'Mormon'  has  to  say." 

When  she  arrived  at  the  place  of  meeting,  she  gave  orders 
for  her  carriage  to  be  driven  around  to  a  position  where  she 
could  remain  seated  in  it,  and  still  be  able  to  hear  the  remarks 
of  the  speaker. 

The  moment  her  carriage  stopped,  Elder  Grant  arose  and 
announced  his  text:  "Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that 
which  is  good,"  from  which  he  preached  a  most  powerful 
sermon. 

Colonel  Litz  told  me  he  never  heard  anything  so  clearly  set 
forth  as  the  principles  of  the  gospel  were  on  that  day.  The 
evidence  adduced  as  to  the  divine  authenticity  of  the  doctrines 
preached  by  the  Saints  was  overwhelming,  and  the  testimony 
borne  was  most  powerful. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  Miss  Floyd  alighted,  walked 
up  and  introduced  herself  to  Elder  Grant,  and  invited  him 
home  with  her. 

Miss  Floyd  was  a  lady  of  rare  qualities  of  mind,  and  had 
taken  advantage  of  every  opportunity  for  intellectual  advance- 
ment. Her  information  was  vast,  and  of  a  solid  nature.  She 
was  the  best  genealogist  in  the  country,  and  was  thoroughly 
posted  in  religious  matters. 

She  was  so  deeply  impressed  by  the  sermon,  that  she  made 
the  remark  to  the  Elder  after  the  close  of  it : 

"Mr.  Grant,  I  am  a  Catholic ;  and  if  Catholicism  is  not  true, 
'Mormonism'  is.  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  'Morrnonism'  is 
next  to  Catholicism." 

She  was  ever  afterwards  a  true  friend  to  Brother  Grant. 

That  and  other  discourses  of  the  same  kind  did  a  powerful 
work,  and  laid  a  foundation  upon  which  Elders  are  building- 
up  branches  of  the  Church  in  that  region  to-day. 

Elder  Grant  had  not  the  advantage  of  a  collegiate  education, 
and  naturally  had  a  dread  of  meeting  with  men  who  were 
highly  educated.  He  often  expressed  this  feeling  to  others. 
But  when  he  came  in  contact  with  men  of  that  type,  they 
seemed  to  be  mere  pigmies  in  comparison  with  him,  when 
discussing  the  principles  of  the  true  gospel. 


ELDER  GRANT'S  ESTIMATE  OF  MR.  RUBY.  49 

One  very  amusing  incident  was  told  me,  winch  shows  the 
peculiar  way  Brother  Grant  had  of  testing  the  material  with 
which  he  had  to  deal. 

The  Lutheran  church  in  Burke1  s  Garden  had  a  minister, 
tjie  Rev.  Ruby,  who  was  a  very  fine  scholar  in  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages,  and  was  considered  a  thorough  theologian. 

A  certain  man  in  the  place,  who  was  very  fond  of  fun  and 
debate,  urged  the  Rev.  Ruby  to  challenge  Elder  Grant  to  meet 
him  in  discussion  on  religion,  stating  to  him  that  Elder  Grant 
was  uneducated  and  ignorant,  and  by  so  doing  he  would  ex- 
punge the  { 'delusion' '  from  the  community  and  do  a  great  good. 

Thus  urged,  the  challenge  was  given  and  accepted. 

The  two,  Rev.  Ruby  and  Elder  Grant,  had  never  met,  nor 
even  seen  each  other. 

A  few  days  before  the  time  appointed  for  the  discussion,  the 
two  parties  chanced  to  meet  at  a  public  gathering  of  some 
kind,  and  the  waggish  instigator  of  the  discussion  was  there 
also.  The  latter  stepped  up  to  Elder  Grant  and  said : 

"Mr.  Grant,  allow  me  to  introduce  you  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Ruby,  the  Lutheran  preacher. ' ' 

Brother  Grant  stepped  back  and  gave  the  reverend  gentle- 
man a  thorough  inspection,  and  then  said: 

"Did  I  understand  you  to  say  preacher?" 

"Yes,  sir.'' 

"Well,  well!  if  I  was  secreted  in  the  bushes  along  the  side 
of  the  road  for  the  purpose  of  waylaying  a  preacher,  and  Mr. 
Ruby  should  pass  along,  I  wouldn't  even  snap  a  cap  at  him." 

The  reverend  gentleman  was  completely  thunderstruck.  He 
had  no  more  use  for  Elder  Grant,  and  remarked:  "If  that  is 
the  kind  of  a  man  he  is,  I  don't  want  to  have  anything  more 
to  do  with  him." 

It  was  enough;  there  was  no  discussion.  Thus,  Brother 
Grant  disarmed  his  foe,  and  marched  on  triumphantly  to 
victory,  scattering  the  seeds  of  eternal  truth,  which  have  taken 
root  in  the  hearts  of  many  and  sprung  up,  and  in  their  turn 
produced  fruit. 

It  can  be  truly  said  of  Elder  J.  M.  Grant  that  he  has  left 
"footprints  on  the  sands  of  time,"  for  I  saw  them  and  took 
courage. 
2* 


50  A  STRING  OP  PEARLS. 

May  the  sons  of  this  noble  man  emulate  the  glorious  traits 
of  a  father  who  was  so  honored  of  heaven. 


WAR     HILL. 


BY   J.     MORGAN. 


ELDER  J.  M.  GRANT  CHALLENGED  TO  DEBATE — BOONE'S  HILL 
CHOSEN  AS  THE  PLACE — HIS  ANTAGONIST  GETS  SIX  MIN- 
ISTERS TO  HELP  HIM — DEMORALIZED  MINISTERS  SEND 
FOR  ANOTHER  TO  ASSIST  THEM — INGLORIOUS  DEFEAT  OF 
THE  EIGHT— ONE  OF  THEM  ABSENT-MINDED—CHANGE 
OF  NAME  TO  UWAR  HILL." 

^RAVELING  through  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  I  met 
•*•  with  many  reminiscences  of  President  Jedediah  M.  Grant, 
who  performed  a  mission  there  many  years  ago,  making  a  vivid 
impression  on  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  converting  quite  a 
few  to  the  truth. 

An  old  gentleman,  who  is  not  a  member  of  the  Church,  but 
who  was  a  warm  friend  and  ardent  admirer  of  Elder  Grant, 
relates  a  graphic  and  interesting  account  of  a  debate  that  the 
latter  held  with  some  ministers,  in  what  is  now  Surry  County. 

Upon  the  advent  of  the  "Mormon"  preacher  into  that  par- 
ticular locality,  a  minister  of  one  of  the  denominations  chal- 
lenged him  to  debate,  which  challenge  was  promptly  accepted, 
and  the  necessary  preparations  were  immediately  made.  A 
chairman  and  judge  were  selected,  rules  adopted  to  govern  the 
discussion,  and  the  well-known  locality  of  Boone's  Hill  was 
chosen  as  the  place  to  hold  the  debate.  It  was  the  birthplace 
and  former  home  of  Colonel  Daniel  Boone,  the  first  white 
settler  of  Kentucky,  and  the  building  located  there  was  known 
far  and  near  as  Boone's  Hill  Church. 

After  the  preliminaries  had  been  arranged,  the  minister 
appeared  to  have  become  a  little  nervous,  and  requested  the 
privilege  of  bringing  in  a  friend  to  assist  him. 


EIGHT  TO  ONE.  51 

Elder  Grant's  reply  was,  "Yes,  as  many  as  you  wish." 

The  result  was  that  when  the  day  came,  he  found  seven 
sectarian  preachers  pitted  against  him. 

He  claimed  and  obtained  the  privilege  of  replying  to  each 
speaker  consecutively. 

The  church  proved  much  too  small  to  accommodate  the 
people ;  so  a  platform  was  erected  at  the  rear  of  the  building, 
and  the  people  seated  themselves  under  the  shade  of  the  trees. 

The  discussion  opened,  and  the  polemical  battle  waxed  hot, 
and  hotter,  as  hour  after  hour  of  debate  went  by.  The  Elder 
followed  them  whithersoever  they  saw  proper  to  lead,  and, 
with  Bible  quotations  and  historical  facts,  he  struck  blows  so 
rapid  and  strong  that  his  opponents  became  demoralized  on 
the  second  day,  and  posted  a  runner  on  horseback  off  eighty 
miles,  to  bring  to  their  assistance  a  noted  divine.  By  a  rapid 
journey,  this  theological  Hercules  soon  reached  the  appointed 
place,  and  by  his  presence  revived  the  drooping  spirits  of  his 
friends. 

But  the  Elder,  after  four  days  of  continuous  debate,  only 
seemed  to  have  got  fairly  into  a  condition  to  talk  well,  and 
doubly  astonished  the  priests  and  people  by  the  hurricane  of 
thought,  truth  and  logic  that  came  rushing  through  his  lips 
with  such  force  as  to  sweep  away  their  arguments  and  soph- 
istry, holding  spell-bound  the  audience,  while  he  contrasted 
the  man-made  system  of  modern  theology  with  the  grand  and 
glorious  truths  of  God's  revealed  religion.  He  portrayed  the 
sublimity  of  holy  writ  in  its  forecast  of  the  glorious  work  of  the 
latter  days ;  the  restoration  of  the  gospel ;  the  visitation  of 
angels  ;  the  believer  blessed  with  the  gifts  and  signs  following ; 
the  building  up  of  the  kingdom  of  Grod ;  the  redemption  of 
the  human  family  and  of  the  earth ;  until,  at  last,  turning  to 
the  crowd  of  ministers  who  had  been  opposing  him,  he  called 
upon  them  to  turn  from  their  erroneous  doctrines  and  aid  him 
in  the  promulgation  of  the  true  gospel,  that  must  "be  preached 
in  all  the  world  for  a  witness."  He  promised  that  if  they 
would  do  so  they  should  reap  eternal  life.  Raising  his  hands 
towards  heaven,  he  declared  that  he  had  spoken  the  truth  to 
the  people,  that  his  hands  were  washed  clean  of  their  blood, 
and  that  his  testimony  was  recorded  in  the  archives  of  heaven, 


52  A  STRING   OF   PEARLS. 

to  be  brought  forth  on  the  great  clay  of  God's  judgment;  and 
said,  "you  ministers,  and  you  people,  will  meet  it  there  that 
day. ' ' 

At  the  close  of  this  remarkable  scene  the  men  who  had 
been  opposing  him  began  hurriedly  leaving  the  platform.  So 
excited  were  they  in  their  movements,  that  the  leading  one  of 
them  left  his  Bible,  cane  and  hat  behind  him 

Noticing  these  articles  left  behind,  Elder  Grant  called  and 
requested  some  one  to  carry  them  to  the  absent-minded  owner, 
and  one  of  the  bystanders  did  so 

Elder  Grant  then  dismissed  the  congregation,  and  from  that 
day  to  this,  Boone's  Hill  has  been  called  War  Hill,  in  memory 
of  the  religious  battle  fought  there. 


SIGN-SEEKING. 


BYJ.    H.VAN    KATTA. 


PERSECUTING  THE  MISSIONARIES — A  DISCUSSION — NOT  CON- 
TENT WITH  BIBLE  PROOFS — A  SIGN  DEMANDED — NO 
SIGNS  PROMISED  TO  UNBELIEVERS — WARNED  TO  REPENT. 
OR  ENDURE  THE  CURSE  OF  GOD— THE  RESULT. 

IN  the  year  1841,  three  Elders — James  M.  Adams,  James 
M.  Emmett  and  Hiram  Page — were  traveling  in  Erie 
County,  Pennsylvania,  preaching  the  gospel.  The  opposing 
power,  which  is  always  ready  to  contest  the  ground  with  the 
Elders,  inch  by  inch,  manifested  itself  there  in  a  most  violent 
manner.  As  usual,  this  opposition  came  from  those  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  Christians.  A  Baptist  minister  and  his  sons 
disfigured  Elder  Emmett' s  pony  by  clipping  off  its  hair, 
daubing  tar  on  it,  etc.,  and  the  Elders  were  also  threatened, 
though  the  threats  were  not  put  into  execution. 


A  SIGN   DEMANDED.  53 

The  Elders  were  finally  challenged  to  debate  with  a  number 
of  preachers,  on  the  subject  of  the  gospel. 

The  challenge  was  accepted  on  condition  that  the  preachers 
would  confine  their  arguments  to  Bible  proofs,  which  they 
agreed  to  do. 

The  discussion  accordingly  opened  by  Elder  Adams  preach- 
ing a  discourse  on  the  first  principles  of  the  gospel.  He 
spoke  in  such  a  plain,  pointed  and  forcible  manner,  that  the 
opponents  to  the  truth  were  disconcerted.  When  their  turn 
to  speak  arrived,  they  laid  aside  the  volume  of  inspiration 
which  they  had  agreed  to  take  as  their  guide,  and  commenced 
reading  from  Howe's  "Mormonism  Unveiled,"  a  book  written 
by  one  D.  P.  Hurlbut.  This  book  contained  the  most  glaring 
falsehoods  and  inconsistent  ideas  that  wicked  men  could 
invent. 

The  umpires  informed  the  preachers  that  they  must  not 
deviate  from  their  written  contract,  but  confine  themselves  to 
Bible  proofs,  as  they  had  agreed  to  do.  If  the  "Mormon" 
doctrine  was  false,  it  must  be  proved  so  from  the  Bible. 

After  the  old  preachers  had  tried  in  vain  to  produce  any 
scripture  proofs,  or  logic  either,  to  sustain  their  false  views, 
and  the  powerless  form  of  religion  which  they  held  to,  they 
were  reinforced  by  a  young  Free-will  Baptist  preacher,  named 
Solon  Hill.  It  was  soon  evident  that  he  could  offer  nothing 
in  the  way  of  argument,  for  he  soon  drifted  into  the  same 
strain  of  slander  and  vituperation  in  which  the  others  of  his 
party  had  sought  to  indulge.  Finally,  however,  he  hit  upon 
a  plan  which  he  seemed  to  think  would  enable  him  to  come  off 
victor. 

Turning  to  Elder  Adams,  he  said,  '  'If  you  are  a  servant  of 
God,  as  you  boldly  say  you  are,  I  demand  a  sign  of  you,  to 
convince  me  that  you  are  genuine." 

Elder  Adams  told  him  that  he  had  taken  a  dangerous  stand; 
that  signs  followed  believers,  but  did  not  go  before  them;  that 
signs  came  by  faith,  not  faith  by  signs.  He  informed  him  who 
the  first  sign-seeker  was— Satan,  whose  children  had  always 
been  faithful  in  following  his  example.  He  testified  that  the 
truths  of  heaven  had  been  plainly  laid  before  them,  that  the 
Spirit  had  given  unmistakable  evidence  of  its  truth,  and  that 


54  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

unless  he  repented  of  his  sins,  rendered  obedience  to  the  gos- 
pel and  lived  up  to  its  requirements,  the  curse  of ''God  would 
rest  upon  him. 

The  meeting  was  dismissed  without  the  preachers  being  able 
to  disprove  any  of  the  truths  advanced  by  the  Elders;  the 
people  were  left  to  reflect  at  leisure  upon  what  they  had 
listened  to,  and  the  preacher,  Hill,  to  accept  the  consequence 
of  disobeying  the  servant  of  God. 

*    '      j.  *  *  *  *  *  * 

After  a  lapse  of  sixteen  years  from  the  time  of  the  events 
just  narrated,  I  happend  to  be  in  the  same  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania upon  a  mission. 

Calling  one  day  at  a  house  to  water  my  horse,  I  saw  one  of 
the  most  deformed  and  repulsive  looking  beings  I  ever  beheld. 

On  arriving  at  my  destination,  I  informed  my  brethren  of 
the  hideous  sight  I  had  met  with,  when  I  was  told  that  the 
being  I  had  seen  was  what  was  left  of  the  man  who  had 
demanded  a  sign  from  a  servant  of  God. 

In  1878,  Elder  Butler,  of  Ogden,  was  on  a  mission  to  the 
same  place,  and  I  wrote  to  him  for  information  concerning 
Hill.  His  reply  was,  "He  is  still  alive,  and  an  object  of 
charity." 

There  are  two  ways  of  knowing  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 
One  is  to  obey  and  live  up  to  them.  The  antediluvians  took 
the  other  way  and  were  overwhelmed;  and  the  man  who 
wanted  a  sign  also  took  it,  and,  as  a  consequence,  had  to  drag 
out  a  long  and  most  miserable  existence,  manifesting  by  his 
appearance  to  every  beholder,  that  the  curse  of  the  Almighty 
was  certainly  resting  upon  him. 


MISSIONARY    INCIDENTS. 


By     H.    G.     B. 


A  BUSY  MISSION — A     RICH    HARVEST    OF   SOULS — JUDGMENTS 
UPON   OUR  OPPONENTS. 

I  AM  writing  from  a  place  (Mount  Airy,  Surry  County, 
N.  C.)  that  I  visited  as  a  missionary  first  in  1868.  Then  I 
labored  in  company  with  Howard  K.  Coray,  in  this  and 
Stokes  Counties,  N.  C.,  and  in  some  three  or  four  Counties 
of  Ya. ,  for  two  years  and  three  months,  during  which  time  we 
baptized  nearly  three  hundred  souls,  one  hundred  and  sixty  of 
whom  accompanied  us  home  to  Utah.  It  is  of  some  of  the 
incidents  of  this  mission  that  I  wish  to  write. 

I  remember  very  well,  that  after  laboring  some  months  in 
Virginia,  and  baptizing  some  thirty  persons,  we  left  Burke' s 
Garden,  Ya.,  the  20th  of  January,  1868,  reaching  this  point 
after  three  days'  travel.  We  were  absent  from  Burke' s  Gar- 
den just  two  months  to  a  day,  and  during  that  time  we  held 
fifty-four  public  meetings,  baptized  thirty  persons,  and  organ- 
ized them  into  a  branch  of  the  Church.  In  addition  to  our 
public  meetings,  we  visited  from  place  to  place  among  the 
people,  constantly  teaching,  both  day  and  night,  often  till  after 
midnight. 

It  was  generally  understood  where  we  were  to  visit,  each 
day  and  night,  for  a  week  ahead,  and  at  each  of  these  places, 
crowds  of  the  neighbors  would  assemble,  coming  from  their 
homes,  guided  through  the  darkness  of  the  night  by  their 
pitch-pine  torch-lights. 

When,  on  these  occasions,  we  met  with  the  people,  we  had 
to  do  a  vast  amount  of  teaching  and  singing  (Elder  Coray 


56  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

being  tin  excellent  singer),  and  answer  hundreds  of  questions. 
What  one  eould  not  think  of  another  would.  And  thus  we 
had  to  teach  and  explain  and  answer  the  demands  made  upon 
us  day  after  day,  and  night  after  night,  until  our  instructions 
in  this  manner  covered  hundreds  of  discourses,  and  until  we 
were  so  nearly  worn  out,  that  we  had  sometimes  to  retire  to 
the  woods  and  hide,  to  get  a  little  respite  from  our  too-con- 
stant labor. 

We  indeed  literally  sowed  the  seed  in  tears  and  in  peril, 
in  the  midst  of  opposition  and  bitter  persecution.  But  the 
Lord  fully  magnified  His  name,  His  cause,  and  His  servants, 
in  all  that  we  had  to  do  and  to  bear. 

The  new  Methodist  church  in  this  place,  which  was  denied  us 
to  preach  in,  was,  two  days  afterwards,  struck  by  lightning,  and 
so  nearly  demolished  that,  I  am  told,  it  was  never  repaired. 
A  man,  who  was  a  class  leader,  who  abused  his  sister  for 
going  to  our  meetings,  and  shamefully  lied  about  Elder  Coray 
and  myself,  and  said  all  manner  of  evil,  falsely,  against  the 
Latter-day  Saints  and  the  gospel,  was  found  by  his  wife,  the  , 
next  morning,  dead  by  her  side ;  and  because  his  body  did  not 
get  cold  like  ordinary  corpses,  he  was  not  buried  for  nearly  a 
week  after  his  death. 

Two  wealthy  and  prominent  men,  who  used  their  influence 
and  the  power  of  their  wealth  and  position  to  retard  the 
work  of  the  Lord  here,  met  with  sudden  and  unexpected 
deaths. 

Many  other  incidents  of  like  nature  might  be  mentioned 
that  occurred  here  during  our  stay.  So  many  of  them,  in 
fact,  occurred,  that  great  fear  came  upon  the  people. 

While  we  labored  in  poverty,  in  all  humility,  contrite  in 
spirit,  reaching  out  in  our  weakness  after  the  honest-in-heart, 
many  souls  were  added  to  the  Church.  The  poor  had  the 
gospel  preached  to  them,  the  Lord  giving  us  a  harvest  of 
sheaves.  The  people  hung  upon  our  words  as  the  words  of 
life;  every  expression  and  every  movement  was  narrowly 
watched.  They  read  their  Bibles  as  they  had  never  read  them 
before ;  "They  that  erred  in  spirit  came  to  understanding,  and 
they  that  murmured  learned  doctrine;"  and  they  rejoiced  in 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 


VISIT  TO  A  BAPTIST  MEETING.  57 

How  faithful  then  ought  we  messengers  of  the  gospel  to  be, 
in  the  trust  that  is  reposed  in  us,  to  carry  this  glad  message 
to  our  poor,  fallen  brethren  and  sisters  in  humanity ! 

In  conclusion,  1  wish  to  offer  a  little  advice  to  the  boys  and 
young  men  who  may  read  this :  Be  very  diligent  in  storing 
your  minds  with  all  useful  knowledge — with  all  the  truths  of 
the  new  and  everlasting  gospel.  Live  pure  lives  in  the  sight 
of  heaven,  and  the  angels  that  constantly  watch  every  act  of 
your  lives.  Be  truthful,  honest,  sober,  virtuous  and  faithful 
in  all  things.  The  Almighty  wants  you,  with  your  innocence 
and  purity  and  strength,  to  redeem  the  nations  that  sit  in 
darkness.  And  you  may  yet  stand  before  rulers,  kings, 
emperors,  and  the  great  of  all  nations  of  the  earth,  when 
they  will  tremble  and  quail  before  you,  because  of  the  power 
of  Grod  that  will  rest  upon  you. 


CHAPTER  II. 

VISIT  TO  A  BAPTIST  MEETING — ABUSE  OF  THE  VARIOUS 
CHURCHES,  ESPECIALLY  THE  UMORMONS" — BOASTED 
BIBLE-NAME  AND  RELIGION — RETURN  TO  THE  TEXT — 
THE  "HARD-SHELL"  WAIL — REPLY  TO  THE  FALSE  ASSER- 
TIONS— THEIR  "BIBLE-NAME"  DISPROVED — THE  TRUE 
SCRIPTURE  NAME  POINTED  OUT. 

WHILE  Brother  H.  K.  Coray  and  I  were  laboring  as 
missionaries  in  North  Carolina,  we  attended  a  Baptist 
meeting,  rather  on  his  account  than  mine,  as  he  had  never 
been  to  such  a  meeting. 

It  was  on  Saturday,  and  the  meeting  was  held  in  a  bowery 
in  the  edge  of  a  wood,  in  Stokes  County. 

Shortly  after  our  arrival,  the  meeting  was  opened  in  the 
usual  way,  by  the  minister,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mourning,  the 
leading  preacher  of  that  denomination.  He  arose  and  read  his 
text  from  the  Song  of  Solomon,  8th  chapter  and  8th  verse : 
"We  have  a  little  sister,  and  she  hath  no  breasts,"  etc., 

3 


58  A  STRING   OF   PEARLS. 

after  which,  the  preacher  launched  out  in  a  discourse  made 
up  from  abuse  and  slander  of  other  denominations. 

First  he  commenced  a  tirade  against  the  Methodists,  by 
saying: 

"There  is  the  Methodist  church;  I  do  not  read  in  the  Bible 
of  the  Methodist  church ;  therefore,  that  church  cannot  be  the 
true  church.  Neither  do  I  read  of  the  Presbyterian  church ; 
it  is,  therefore,  not  Grod's  church.  Nor  do  I  read  anything 
in  the  good  book  about  the  Lutheran  church;  nor  does  the 
scriptures  say  anything  about  the  Campbellite  church,  nor  the 
Catholic  church,  nor  the  Quaker  church. ' ' 

Thus  he  went  on,  mentioning  all  the  leading  sects  of  the 
present  day,  saying  none  of  these  could  possibly  be  the  true 
church,  because  the  Bible  was  silent  as  to  their  names. 

He  seemed  to  take  some  pains  to  save  the  "Mormons"  till 
the  last,  so  as  to  be  thoroughly  warmed  up,  that  he  might  be 
the  better  able  to  do  justice  to  their  case. 
.  After  awhile,  getting  all  the  steam  on — mustering  all  his 
force,  he  opend  his  battery  upon  the  "Mormon"  Church,  say- 
ing the  "Mormon"  Church  was  not  mentioned  anywhere  in 
the  scriptures,  nor  the  "Mormon"  religion;  neither  the 
"Mormon  Bible,"  nor  "Joe"  Smith,  nor  Brigham  Young, 
not  even  the  word  "Mormon"  was  mentioned  there. 

He  finished  up  his  abuse  of  the  "Mormons"  by  saying  they 
were  the  most  dangerous,  and  altogether  the  worst  of  the 
whole  bad  lot. 

"But,"  said  he,  referring  to  the  Baptist  church,  "ours  is 
the  Primitive  Baptist  church — a  Bible  name.  Ours  is  a  Bible 
church,  a  Bible  religion,"  etc. 

"Sometimes/'  he  added,  "we  are  called  'Iron  Jackets,' 
sometimes,  'Hard  Shells,'  but  these  are  nicknames.  Our  true 
Bible  name  is  'Primitive  Baptists.'  " 

By  this  time  he  had  been  talking  an  hour,  and  had  not  once 
referred  to  the  text.  But  having  apparently  satisfied  himself 
and  a  few  of  his  hearers  in  abusing  other  denominations  in  gen- 
eral, and  the  "Mormons"  in  particular,  he  suddenly  assumed 
the  old  "Hard  Shell"  wail,  or  preaching  tune,  and  drawled  out: 

"But  my  dear  friends  and  breethring-ah,  we  have  a  little 
sister-ah,  and  she  hath  no  breasts-ah.  I  am  very  much 


REPLY  TO   MR.    MOURNING.  59 

afraid,  my  dear  friends  and  breethring-ah,  that  in  that 
great  day  when  we  shall  be  spoken  for-ah,  that  •  some  of 
us  will  be  brought  into  that  awful  presence-ah,  and  there  find 
we  have  no  breasts-ah.  And  oh,  my  dear  friends  and  breeth- 
ring-ah, will  not  this  be  an  awful  condition  to  be  found 
in-ah?" 

Honestly,  this  is  no  exaggeration!  Thus  he  held  forth  for 
an  hour  longer,  expressing  no  two  sentences  without  the 
phrase,  "my  dear  friends  and  breethring-alfc, "  being  sand- 
wiched in  between. 

I  am  very  sorry  I  cannot  give  my  readers  the  music,  for  it 
would  be  a  rich  treat. 

As  he  was  about  to  close  the  meeting,  I  asked  for  permis- 
sion to  speak  for  a  few  minutes. 

"Not,"  said  he,  "till  we  dismiss  our  meeting;  then  if  the 
people  wish  to  hear  you  I  have  no  objection." 

When  he  had  dismissed  his  meeting,  all  the  congregation 
sat  down  again,  thus  giving  me  to  understand  they  wished  me 
to  talk  to  them. 

I  commenced  by  stating  to  the  audience  that  I  wished  to 
correct  some  mistakes  made  by  Mr.  Mourning,  relative  to  the 
name  of  the  Church  to  which  I  belonged.  We  were  called 
the  '  'Mormon' '  Church,  which  was  a  nickname  given  us  by 
our  enemeis,  the  true  and  legal  name  being,  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints ;  also  that  there  could  be  no 
other  appropriate  name  for  Christ's  church.  Churches  that 
are  not  His,  should  always  be  called  by  some  other  name  than 
His,  illustrating  to  them  that  the  church  of  Christ  was  never 
called  by  any  man's  name.  Christ's  church  in  the  days  of 
Noah  was  not  called  Noah's  church.  Neither  was  His  church 
called  the  church  of  Abraham  in  his  day,  nor  the  church  of 
Moses  when  Moses  lived.  Nor  was  it  ever  called  the  church 
of  John  the  Baptist  in  the  day  that  he  was  upon  the  earth. 
I  closed  by  saying  that  I  never  in  the  Bible  had  read  anything 
about  a  '  'Primitive  Baptist  church. ' ' 

In  the  absence  of  anything  better  to  say,  he  asked  me  if  I 
did  not  like  John  the  Baptist. 

I  answered  "Yes,"  and  that  he  was  called  the  Baptist 
because  he  had  baptized  the  people  in  all  Judea  and  Jeru- 


60  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

salem,  and  the  region  round  about  Jordan,  as  Mr.  Cloud 
(referring  to  a  man  that  sat  near  uie)  had  made  shoes  for  all 
the  people  near  where  he  lived,  and  on  that  account  was 
called  a  shoemaker,  but  it  did  not  follow  that  those  for  whom 
he  had  made  the  shoes  were  also  called  shoemakers. 

I  requested  him,  if  there  was  any  evidence  in  the  scriptures 
to  establish  the  Bible  name  of  his  church,  to  open  his  Bible 
and  read  it  to  the  people. 

This  he  could  not  do,  for  the  simple  reason  that  there  was 
.  no  such  evidence  in  the  Bible.  Nor  do  I  believe  that  this 
great  Baptist  minister  ever  knew,  till  I  brought  this  fact  to 
his  notice,  that  there  was  no  evidence  in  the  scriptures  to 
establish  a  "Baptist"  church.  And  the  members  of  his  church 
seemed  to  be  disappointed  and  utterly  astonished  that  he  was 
unable  to  produce  the  proofs  asked  for. 

To  prove  that  ours  was  a  scriptural  name,  I  referred  to,  and 
quoted  Matt.  xvi.  18 ;  Col.  i.  18;  Acts  xx.  28;  I.  Cor.  xiv.  33, 
and  other  passages. 

When  I  concluded  my  remarks,  a  large  number  of  the 
assemblage  gathered  about  me,  that  is,  the  portion  that  were 
not  Baptists,  manifesting  towards  me  in  various  ways  their  good 
feelings.  They  were  like  their  prototypes,  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees  of  old. 

When  the  Savior  overthrew  some  pet  dogma  of  the  Pharisees, 
as  He  often  did,  the  Sadducees  would  gather  about  Him,  feeling 
very  much  elated ;  and  when  He,  in  like  manner,  demolished 
some  tenet  of  the  Sadducees,  as  very  often  happened,  then 
the  Pharisees  rejoiced.  But  in  the  end  all  the  parties  united 
against  the  Savior. 

So  it  is  in  these  days.  The  only  thing  in  which  the  sects 
of  this  day  are  united,  is  in  their  opposition  to  and  perse- 
cution of  the  Saints — the  true  followers  of  Christ. 


MINISTERS  FAIL  TO  APPEAR.  61 


CHAPTER   III. 

MINISTERS  APPOINT  A  MEETING  TO  EXPOSE  -MORMONISM"- 
WE  APPOINT  ONE  FOR  THE  SAME  PURPOSE,  AND  THE 
SAME  DAY— MINISTERS  FAIL  TO  APPEAR — OTHERS  PREACH 
INSTEAD — WE  FOLLOW — A  BAPTIST  ATTEMPTS  TO  REPLY 
—HIS  CONTRADICTORY  STATEMENT— FELLOW-PREACHER7  S 
CHAGRIN — THE  PREACHER'S  CONCESSION. 

IN  Surry  Co.,  N.  C.,  in  1868,  Elder  H.  K.  Coray  and  I  had 
made  out  our  appointments  ahead  for  the  first,  second, 
fourth  and  fifth  Sundays  in  August,  but  failed  to  get  out  an 
appointment  for  the  third  Sunday,  although  we  had  made 
every  effort  to  do  so. 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  Sunday,  Esquire  William  Hill 
came  to  us  and  reported  that  some  Methodist  ministers  had 
given  out  an  appointment  for  the  bowery,  at  Cross  Roads,  at 
eleven  o'clock  a.  m.,  on  the  third  Sunday  of  that  month,  for 
the  purpose  of  '  'exposing  'Mormonism. ' ' 

The  'squire  seemed  very  anxious  for  us  to  make  an  appoint- 
ment for  the  same  day  and  place,  at  two  p.  m. ,  which,  after 
due  deliberation,  we  did,  referring  to  the  other  meeting  and  its 
purpose,  and  then  stating  that  we  would,  at  our  meeting,  con- 
tinue the  exposition  of  "Mormonism." 

The  news  of  these  appointments  soon  spread  far  and  wide, 
as  connected  therewith  was  also  the  idea  of  a  discussion. 

Arriving  at  the  place  a  little  before  eleven  o'clock  a.  m.,  we 
found  the  people  had  filled  up  the  bowery,  and  the  woods  also 
seemed  to  be  alive  with  them. 

But  those  ministers,  after  hearing  that  we  would  reply  to 
their  slander  in  the  afternoon,  failed  to  put  in  an  appearance. 

However,  four  others,  two  Methodists  and  two  Missionary 
Baptists,  attended  the  meeting. 

Discourses  were  delivered  by  two  of  these  divines,  one  of 
each  denomination,  neither  of  whom  alluded  to  our  people,  or 
doctrines ;  but  each,  at  the  close  of  his  sermon,  gave  liberty  to 


62  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

any  other  minister  to  reply  to  any  doctrines  that  had  been 
advanced. 

No  one  replying,  their  meeting  closed  at  half- past  one  o'clock, 
at  which  time  we  announced  that  there  would  be  a  recess  for 
thirty  minutes,  when  our  meeting  would  commence. 

The  intermission  afforded  them  time  for  all  to  take  dinner, 
as  nearly  all  had  brought  lunch  from  their  homes. 

During  the  forenoon  meeting,  crowds  of  people  were  strolling 
through  the  adjacent  woods,  among  the  carriages,  wagons  and 
horses,  and  crowding  about  the  well.  But  when  our  meeting 
commenced,  all  gathered  in  and  about  the  bowery,  into  a  vast 
and  compact  assemblage. 

The  contrast  was  apparent  to  all,  and  especially  was  if  grati- 
fying to  us. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Cordell,*  a  Baptist,  took  his  seat  upon  the 
stand  with  us.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Gray,  a  Methodist,  sat  in  front 
and  near  the  stand  tilting  himself  back  in  his  chair,  with  both 
thumbs  inserted  in  the  arm  holes  of  his  vest,  looking  as  if  he 
thought  St.  Paul's  overcoat  too  small  to  make  a  vest  pattern 
for  him.  The  two  others  sat  near  Mr.  Gray. 

Our  meeting  opened.  The  discourse  was  upon  the  first 
principles  of  the  gospel — faith,  repentance,  baptism,  the 
bestowal  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  gifts  and  blessings  enjoyed 
by  the  members,  and  the  organization  of  the  Church  with 
Apostles,  Prophets,  etc. 

Quotations  from  the  Bible,  in  abundance,  were  brought  for- 
ward to  fully  prove  these  points  of  doctrine. 

The  preachers  and  many  of  the  people  seemed  to  be  very 
much  astonished  that  it  was  such  an  easy  matter  to  establish 
these  doctrines  by  the  scriptures.  Especially  did  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Gray  forget  all  his  assumed  dignity,  and,  leaning  forward 
in  his  chair,  looked  as  amazed  as  he  could  be,  evidently  realiz- 
ing that  he,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  was  listening  to  the 
gospel. 

At  the  close  of  the  discourse,  liberty  was  extended  to  any 
person  present  to  make  remarks  upon  the  doctrines  we  had 
set  forth. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Cordell  arose,  and  said,  "I  have  belonged  to 
the  Missionary  Baptist  church  for  thirty  years,  and  have  been 


A  BAPTIST  ATTEMPTS  TO  REPLY.  63 

a  minister  of  that  church  for  twenty-five  years  of  that  time, 
and  I  have  just  listened  to  a  discourse,  setting  forth  the  doc- 
trines I  have  always,  during  that  time,  believed  in  and 
preached.  Yet,  I  will  not  believe  except  Mr.  Boyle  will  work 
a  miracle,  and,  even  then,  I  will  not  go  to  Utah." 

Now  this  great  preacher  (for  as  such  was  he  esteemed  by 
the  people  who  knew  him),  when  he  arose  to  his  feet,  was 
white  as  a  ghost,  and  trembled  from  head  to  foot,  really  not 
knowing  what  he  was  saying. 

I  must  confess  that  I  was  surprised  at  what  he  said,  and  so 
were  nine-tenths  of  those  present. 

I  could  see  the  people  all  through  the  andience  exchanging 
glances  of  astonishment,  and  many  were  really  chagrined,  and 
some  actually  laughing  at  the  absurdity  of  what  he  was 
saying. 

All  knew  what  he  said  was  false,  when  he  asserted  that  he 
had  always  believed  in  and  preached  what  he  had  just  heard. 

When  he  sat  down,  I  called  the  attention  of  the  people  to 
the  inconsistency  of  calling  for  a  miracle,  to  make  him  believe 
what  he  professed  to  have  believed  and  preached  for  twenty- 
five  years.  As  to  whether  he  had  really  made  a  truthful  state- 
ment, I  said  I  would  leave  them  to  decide,  as  they  were  all 
acquainted  with  his  reverence  and  I  was  not.  I  also  referred 
to  the  idea  he  seemed  to  entertain,  that  some  one  wished  him 
to  go  to  Utah.  I  was  sure  I  had  not  invited  him  to  go  to 
Utah,  neither  did  I  believe  any  of  my  friends  had. 

His  brother  preacher  remarked,  next  day,  to  'Squire  Hill, 
that  he  would  not  have  had  "Brother  Cordell"  so  disgrace 
himself  for  five  hundred  dollars  out  of  his  own  pocket. 

The  result  of  the  meeting  was  good.  The  report  of  it  went 
far  and  wide,  and  helped  us  to  a  great  extent  in  our  subsequent 
labors.  A  great  many  were  soon  afterwards  baptized  in  that 
section,  among  them  'Squire  Hill  and  five  or  six  of  his 
family. 

We  afterwards  looked  upon  it  as  providential  that  we  did 
not  get  out  an  appointment  sooner  for  the  third  Sunday  in 
August,  1868. 

Apropos  to  this  incident,  I  may  mention  that  when  I  was 
in  North  Carolina,  recently,  I  was  informed  by  a  number  of 


64  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

persons  that  Mr.  Cordell  often  asserts  that  the  Latter-day 
Saints  can  prove  all  their  doctrines  by  the  scriptures,  and  that 
he  never  speaks  evil  of  them. 


CHAPTER    IY. 

MY  FIRST  SERMON— REMARKABLE  INSTANCE    OF  HELP   FROM 
THE  ALMIGHTY. 

NEVER  shall  I  forget  the  first  time  I  was  called  upon  to 
make  an  effort  to  preach  the  gospel.  ItwasinPittsylvania 
County,  Virginia,  in  the  month  of  June,  1844. 

I  had  been  ordained  an  Elder  and  set  apart  to  take  a  mission 
to  Virginia,  in  company  with  Elder  Sebert  C.  Shelton. 

My  extreme  youth  prevented  me  from  realizing  the  respon- 
sibilities of  a  mission.  Being  a  beardless  boy,  it  never  occurred 
to  me  that  I  would  be  called  upon  to  preach.  Up  to  that 
time  I  never  had  been  upon  my  feet  to  say  a  word  in  public. 

At  a  meeting  which  had  been  advertized  for  two  weeks,  at  the 
Methodist  camp  meeting  ground,  in  a  grove,  in  the  County 
before  mentioned,  were  gathered  an  assemblage  of  six  or  seven 
hundred  men,  women  and  children,  priests,  doctors  and  law- 
yers, the  largest  meeting  I  had  ever  witnessed  up  to  that  time. 

I  came  to  this  meeting  from  one  part  of  the  County,  and 
Elder  Shelton  was  expected  to  come  from  another  quarter. 
But  the  time  to  commence  meeting  had  arrived,  and  Elder 
Shelton  had  not. 

The  audience  was  impatient,  A  party  of  three  or  four  of 
the  leading  citizens  waited  upon  me,  to  know  if  I  would  not 
address  the  meeting.  There  never  had  been  a  "Mormon" 
meeting  in  that  County  before,  and  they  could  not  afford  to  be 
disappointed. 

I  was  sitting  near  the  center  of  the  meeting  (not  realizing 
that  the  stand  was  my  place)  when  these  men  made  the  inquiry. 

If  a  battery  of  artillery  had  been  discharged  in  our  midst,  I 
do  not  think  it  would  have  so  startled  me,  as  did  this  request. 


HELP  FROM  THE  ALMIGHTY.  65 

For  the  first  time  I  began  to  realize  that  it  was  my  duty  to 
try  to  advocate  the  religion  I  professed. 

Just  as  I  was  going  to  answer  that  I  would  make  an  effort, 
Elder  Shelton  walked  upon  the  stand,  and  this  seemed  to  lift 
a  mountain  from  my  shoulders. 

Brother  Shelto.n  looked  wearied  and  sick,  but  opened  the 
meeting  with  singing  and  prayer,  and  sang  again  before  he 
discovered  me  in  the  audience.  Then  he  immediately  called 
upon  me  to  come  to  the  stand  and  preach,  as  he  was  too  sick 
and  feeble  to  attempt  it. 

To  say  I  was  scared,  would  scarcely  convey  a  proper  idea  of 
my  condition.  I  was  in  a  tremor  from  head  to  feet,  and  shook 
like  a  leaf  in  a  storm,  scarcely  knowing  what  I  did. 

I  took  up  Elder  Shelton' s  Bible  which  lay  upon  the  front 
board,  and  without  any  premeditation,  I  opened  at  the  third 
chapter  of  John,  and  read  the  fifth  verse. 

By  the  time  I  had  finished  reading,  all  my  trembling  had 
left  me,  and  I  felt  as  calm  and  collected  as  the  quiet  that  suc- 
ceeds the  storm.  The  subjects  of  the  first  principles  of  the 
gospel  were  opened  to  me  like  print,  only  plainer  and  more 
powerful. 

Faith,  repentance,  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins  and 
the  laying  on  of  hands  for  the  reception  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
came  to  me  in  succession  and  in  their  order.  And  those 
priests,  doctors,  lawyers  and  people  did  not  appear  to  me  more 
formidable  than  so  many  butterflies. 

No  miracle  ever  performed  by  the  power  of  God,  could 
have  had  a  more  convincing  effect  upon  me,  than  did  the  help 
that  came  to  me  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Grhost  on 
that  occasion.  And  I  am  fully  convinced  in  my  own  mind 
that  never  since  have  I  preached  a  more  effective  discourse, 
nor  one  accompanied  by  more  of  the  power  of  God. 


66  A    STRING  OF  PEARLS. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

MY  SECOND  SERMON,  WHICH  WAS  NOT  A  SERMON — CONFI- 
DENCE IN  COMMENCING — SUBSEQUENT  CHAGRIN — THE 
LESSON  I  LEARNED. 

A  FTER  delivering  my  first  sermon  or  discourse  I  indulged 
"-  in  some  very  extravagant  reflections  and  ideas  relative  to 
my  great  success. 

I  thought  it  easy  enough  for  a  '  'Mormon' '  to  be  a  preacher. 
I   considered  it   no    wonder    that    Brother    Jedediah    M. 
Grant  was  such  a  splendid  speaker.     I  never  afterwards  ex- 
pected to  have  any  trouble  so  far  as  preaching  the  gospel  was 
concerned. 

It  never  occurred  to  me  that  there  was  any  chance  for  a 
failure.  As  the  power  and  inspiration  enabling  me  to  preach 
came  from  God,  it  was,  I  thought,  simply  impossible  for  there 
to  be  any  failure. 

However,  in  this  I  was  never  more  disappointed,  as  I  will 
show  : 

In  a  few  days  after  I  preached  my  first  sermon,  and  in  the 
same  neighborhood,  we  held  another  meeting,  when  Brother 
Shelton  called  on  me  again  to  preach.  And  when,  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  call,  I  arose  to  my  feet,  it  was  with  all  the  con- 
fidence and  assurance  possible.  But  to  my  surprise  and 
chagrin,  I  could  scarcely  utter  a  word. 

I  was  spiritually,  mentally,  and  almost  physically  blind,  and 
the  power  of  darkness  seemed  to  have  complete  control  over 
me. 

After  struggling  with  this  power  for  a  few  minutes,  I  sat 
down  in  confusion  and  shame,  not  having  been  able  to  speak 
one  connected  sentence. 

Immediately,  something  seemed  to  say  to  me,  "Now  you 
have  learned  two  important  lessons :  what  you  can  do  when 
the  Lord  helps  you,  and  what  you  cannot  do,  without  His 
help." 

No  doubt  some  of  my  young  friends  are  ready  to  ask, 
"Why  did  you  fail?"  It  may  have  been  that  I  was  not 


JOURNEY  ACROSS  THE  PLAINS.  67 

sufficiently  humble,  and  perhaps  had  not  given  God  the  glory 
to  that  extent  that  I  should. 

The  best  reason,  however,  I  think,  was  that  the  Lord 
designed  to  teach  me  a  valuable  lesson,  which  I  am  proud  to 
say  I  have  never  forgotten ;  and  to  this  day,  when  I  arise  to 
preach  the  gospel,  I  say:  U0 !  my  Father,  help  me  on  this 
occasion  by  Thy  Holy  Spirit. ' ' 


JOURNEY  ACROSS  THE  PLAINS. 

BY  PRESIDENT  JOHN  TAYLOR. 


SURROUNDED  BY  INDIANS — PREPARE  FOR  AN  ATTACK— SIGN 
OF  PEACE — A  LETTER — PIPE  OF  PEACE— THREE  OF  US 
ACCOMPANY  THE  INDIANS  TO  THEIR  CAMP — CHAGRIN  AT 
THE  REPULSE — ROAD  SWEPT  CLEAR  OF  SIsOW — MISSOURI 
RIVER  FROZEN  OVER — WE  CROSS  ON  THE  ICE,  WHICH 
BREAKS  AS  THE  LAST  WAGON  LEAVES  IT. 

IN  the  latter  part  of  October,  1849,  a  number  of  missionaries 
started  from  Salt  Lake  Valley  to  go  to  the  States,  among 
whom  were  several  of  the  Twelve,  who  were  going  to  introduce 
the  gospel  to  foreign  lands.  Elder  Erastus  Snow  was 
appointed  to  Denmark,  Lorenzo  Snow  to  Italy,  myself,  in 
company  with  John  Pack  and  Curtis  E.  Bolton,  to  France, 
and  Franklin  D.  Richards  to  England.  We  were  accompanied 
to  the  States  byElder  Jedediah  M.  Grant,  Bishops  Edward 
Hunter,  A.  0.  Smooth,  Edwin  D.  Woolley,  Joseph  Heywood 
and  a  number  of  other  Elders  and  brethren.  Several  mer- 
chants also  accompanied  the  expedition. 

While  journeying,  we  had  a  variety  of  singular  adventures, 
and  experienced  some  remarkable  interpositions  of  providence 
during  the  trip,  some  of  which  I  will  relate. 

When  we  arrived  at  a  point  some  distance  west  of  Laramie, 
as  we  turned  out  our  horses,  at  noon,  suddenly  a  large  body 
of  Indians,  amounting  in  number  to  a  hundred  or  a  hundred 
and  fifty,  appeared  in  sight. 


68  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

They  were  evidently  on  the  lookout  for  a  body  of  Crows,  a 
hostile  tribe  of  Indians,  who  had  hovered  around  us  for  some 
time  on  our  journey. 

As  they  first  came  in  sight  they  swept  along  with  all  the 
abandon  of  the  red  man,  and  their  appearance  was  really  very 
imposing.  They  were  perhaps  a  mile  from  us  when  we  first 
saw  them. 

I  was  very  much  interested  in  their  appearance,  as  they  came 
dashing  down  upon  us  on  their  fiery  steeds,  in  warlike  costume. 

The  manes  and  tails  of  their  horses  were  painted  various 
colors;  aud  the  Indians  themselves,  painted  and  arrayed  in 
their  richest  and  gayest  styles,  prepared  for  war,  presented 
a  magnificent  aspect. 

But  our  personal  safety  soon  led  us  to  other  reflections. 

While  a  part  of  the  company  immediately  gathered  up  the 
horses,  another  part  attended  to  our  firearms  ;  and  before  the 
Indians  reached  us,  we  had  formed  a  line  for  defense,  with  our 
guns  and  pistols  all  prepared  for  anything  that  might  trans- 
pire. 

The  Indians  rode  to  within  about  two  rods  of  us,  and  then 
made  a  halt;  and  as  we  had  our  guns  leveled  at  them,  they 
immediately  assumed  a  hostile  attitude.  Some  of  them  hav- 
ing flint-lock  guns,  commenced  pecking  their  flints  and  making 
ready  for  firing,  and  others  wet  their  finger  ends  and  placed 
their  arrows  in  their  bows,  preparatory  to  an  encounter. 

While  thus  engaged  on  both  sides,  waiting  for  anything 
that  might  transpire,  a  fat,  jolly-looking  Indian  came  lumber- 
ing up  on  horseback,  not  having  been  able  to  keep  pace  with 
his  more  youthful  companions.  He  held  up  both  hands,  and, 
as  I  understood  this  was  a  sign  of  peace,  and  that  he  evidently 
desired  to  avoid  any  collision,  I  went  out  to  meet  him.  He 
then  produced  a  paper,  which  stated  that  these  Indians  were 
peaceable  and  friendly.  It  was  signed  by  a  Major  Sanderson, 
who  was  then  commanding  at  Fort  Laramie. 

Although  their  attitude  did  not  bespeak  the  most  pacific 
intentions,  we,  of  course,  received  the  statement  with  as  good  a 
grace  as  possible. 

While  waiting,  several  Indians  attempted  to  pass  us  on  the 
flank.  When  he  saw  this,  Brother  Grant,  who  had  assumed 


THE  PIPE  OF  PEACE.  69 

command  of  the  company  for  the  time  being,  ordered  a  num- 
ber of  men  to  level  their  guns  at  them,  which  caused  them  to 
remain. 

As  we  could  not  talk  with  them  nor  they  to  us,  and  as  no 
interpreters  were  present,  we  had  to  judge  by  signs  as  best 
we  could. 

They  pointed  out  to  us  several  sentinels  placed  on  the  tops 
of  mountains  in  diiferent  directions,  and  intimated  by  signs 
that  they  wanted  these  men  to  go  to  them,  so  we  permitted 
them  to  pass. 

The  chief  then  touched  his  mouth  or  tongue,  and  we  sup- 
posed that  they  desired  something  to  eat.  I  made  a  motion 
for  the  chief  to  move  his  men  back,  which  he  did.  They  sat 
down  and  we  furnished  them  with  beef,  crackers,  tobacco,  etc. ; 
but  we  found  that  they  were  not  hungry,  and  that  they  were 
anxious  to  talk  with  us. 

We  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  with  them,  and  then  har- 
rie^se.d  our  horses  and  prepared  to  start,  when  they  formed  a 
line  on  each  side  of  us;  each  of  our  men,  as  a  precautionary 
measure,  taking  his  gun  in  his  hand  as  he  drove  his  team. 

The  chief  expressed  a  desire  to  have  some  of  us  go  to  his 
camp,  which,  he  informed  us  by  signs,  was  not  far  off.  Lorenzo 
Snow,  Bishop  Hunter  and  I  accompanied  him,  and  our  train 
moved  on  its  course. 

£*he  camp,  which  was  about  three  miles  from  our  own 
encampment,  we  found  to  be  very  large.  The  Indians  were 
very  well-formed,  athletic  men,  and  good  specimens  of  their 
race.  There  were  a  great  many  respectable-looking  lodges, 
and  I  should  suppose  about  three  thousand  horses  grazing  about. 

When  we  met  them  the  chief  seemed  somewhat  chagrined, 
and  we  thought  that  the  repulse  of  his  men  by  us  was  the 
cause. 

There  was  a  Frenchman  at  the  camp,  who  acted  as  in- 
terpreter during  our  interview.  In  our  conversation  the  chief 
asked  us  why  we  had  assumed  a  warlike  attitude  towards  his 
people. 

We  told  him  that  we  were  not  acquainted  with  them,  and 
thought  it  best  to  be  prepared.  We  did  not  know  but  that  they 
were  some  of  the  Crows,  who  had  been  hovering  around  us. 


70  A   STRING   OP   PEARLS 

They  were  anxious  to  know  about  the  Crows,  having  heard 
that  they  were  going  to  steal  some  horses  from  them.  After 
a  short  and  pleasant  interview,  we  left  arid  joined  our  camp. 

That  night  we  put  out  a  strong  guard  around  our  horses, 
and  the  same  night  the  Crows  stole  a  good  many  horses  from 
these  Indians,  as  well  as  the  horses  of  some  trappers  who 
were  in  the  immediate  vicinity;  but  ours  were  riot  molested. 

On  reaching  Fort  Laramie  we  were  very  courteously  received 
and  kindly  treated  by  Major  Sanderson. 

As  it  was  late  in  the  fall,  the  snow  began  to  descend  and  the 
whole  country  was  covered  to  about  twelve  inches  in  depth. 

Immediately  after  we  crossed  the  south  fork  of  the  Platte 
River  we  met  with  a  very  remarkable  circumstance  which  we 
were  led  to  look  upon  as  a  providential  occurrence  and  the 
interposition  of  the  Almighty  in  our  behalf.  Along  the  road 
that  we  traveled  all  the  way  from  there  to  Fort  Kearney,  the 
snow  had  been  blown  from  the  road  the  entire  distance,  as  if 
swept  by  a  broom,  leaving  a  clear  track  for  us  to  travel  upon. 

It  was  very  difficult  to  find  nutritious  food  for  our  animals, 
the  grass  having  been  killed  by  the  frost,  and  before  we  reached 
the  Missouri  River  many  of  them  failed  and  a  number  died. 

The  very  last  day  before  we  arrived,  we  encountered  a  very 
severe  snow  storm,  which  made  it  extremely  difficult  for  the 
animals  to  move,  and  many  of  them  gave  out.  After  much 
difficulty  we  arrived  at  an  old  deserted  fort,  on  the  Missouri 
River,  parties  bringing  in  the  wearied  animals  as  best  they 
could. 

Although  an  old  deserted  log  house,  with  large  openings 
between  the  logs,  and  without  windows  and  doors,  was  the  only 
shelter  afforded  us,  I  am  not  aware  of  any  time  in  my  life 
when  I  experienced  a  greater  sense  of  providential  interposi- 
tion and  relief  than  I  did  with  that  temporary  refuge  from  the 
storm. 

We  stayed  there  the  next  day  and  found  a  family,  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  who  cooked  and  provided  for  us.  We  found 
that  the  ice  was  running  very  strong  in  the  Missouri  River, 
and  that  it  was  impossible  to  ferry  across. 

The  succeeding  was  one  of  the  most  severely  cold  nights  I 
ever  experienced,  and  in  the  morning  some  of  our  party  went 


CROSSING  THE  MISSOURI.  71 

down  to  the  river  and  found  that  the  floating  ice  had  lodged 
and  formed  a  bridge  across. 

A  company  was  selected  to  see  if  it  was  safe,  and  they 
returned  and  stated  that  they  thought  the  ice,  though  very 
thin,  would  bear  us. 

We  immediately  made  preparations  to  cross  the  river,  and, 
although  it  was  very  rough,  we  took  our  wagons  over  without 
much  difficulty ;  but  found  that  towards  the  last  it  began  to  be 
shaky  and  uncertain. 

Mr.  Kinkead,  a  merchant,  who  was  along,  having  a  lot  of 
gold  dust  in  his  possession,  was  afraid  his  team  would  sink 
before  he  got  over,  and  he  carried  it  over  on  his  shoulders, 
leaving  his  man  to  bring  the  team  over  as  best  he  might. 

After  using  all  the  energy  we  could  to  get  our  teams  over, 
the  last  one  had  only  just  crossed  the  river  when  the  ice  gave 
way  and  floated  down  the  stream,  thus  exhibiting  another 
remarkable  manifestation  of  the  providence  of  Grod  towards 
His  Elders  who  were  going  forth  on  missions  to  proclaim  the 
gospel  of  salvation  to  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Many  people  would  be  apt  to  look  upon  these  things  as 
natural  occurrences ;  I  ascribe  them  to  the  power  of  that  Being 
who  says  the  hairs  of  our  heads  are  numbered,  and  that  a 
sparrow  cannot  fall  to  the  ground  without  our  Father's 
notice. 


STORY   OF   A    HAT. 


ELDER  PHILLIPS  IN  NEED  OF  A  HAT — BROTHER  HOBBS  TOLD 
IN  A  DREAM  TO  PROVIDE  ONE  FOR  HIM — HIS  TROUBLE 
AT  NOT  BEING  ABLE  TO  DO  SO — THE  HAT  PROVIDED  IN 
AN  UNEXPECTED  MANNER. 

THE  following  incident  in  the  life  of  Elder  Thomas  Phillips, 
of  Scipio,  shows  how  mindful  the  Lord  is  of  His  ser- 
vants, even  in  what  may  be  deemed  small  things.     We  will 
give  it  in  Brother  Phillips'  own  words. 


72  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

"I  have  witnessed  the  providences  of  the  Lord  in  various 
ways,  while  traveling  without  purse  or  scrip,  preaching  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  have  realized  that  to  such,  when 
faithful,  the  Lord  has  manifested  His  loving  kindness,  and 
that  His  watchful  care  over  them  is  sensible  to  their  under-^ 
standing. 

"One  item,  although  it  may  appear  small,  is  of  particular 
interest  to  me.  It  is  as  follows: 

"I  was  traveling  in  the  towns  and  villages  in  a  part  of  the 
County  of  Surrey,  England,  preaching  the  gospel  as  revealed 
from  the  heavens  through  the  ministry  of  holy  beings.  Under 
these  circumstances,  food  and  raiment  were  sometimes  hard 
to  obtain ;  consequently,  at  one  time  I  had  a  hat  that  was  very 
much  the  worse  for  wear. 

"In  a  village  called  Hersham,  in  that  county,  lived  a  brother 
by  the  name  of  William  Hobbs,  whose  house  at  I  sometimes 
visited,  and  received  food  and  lodgings. 

"One  night  Brother  Hobbs  dreamed  that  a  personage  came 
to  him  and  told  him  that  Brother  Phillips  would  be  at  his 
house  on  a  certain  day,  naming  the  time,  which  I  think  was 
four  or  five  days  from  the  time  he  dreamed.  He  was  further 
told  that  he  must  get  a  new  hat  for  Brother  Phillips ;  for  the 
one  he  wore  was  very  shabby. 

"This  dream  was  very  much  impressed  on  the  mind  of 
Brother  Hobbs,  and  troubled  him  sorely,  for  it  found  him 
without  money  and  some  miles  from  any  town  where  he  could 
buy  a  hat. 

"Brother  Hobbs  was  the  overseer  of  a  small  number  of 
men,  whose  work  was  to  keep  some  miles  of  railroad  in  repair 
for  the  safety  of  the  trains. 

"When  the  day  came  that  I  was  to  be  at  his  house  in  the 
evening,  he  went  to  his  work  very  low-spirited,  not  having 
obtained  the  hat.  While  at  work  on  the  track,  a  long  train  of 
cars  came  along,  and  when  passing  the  place  where  Brother 
Hobbs  and  his  hands  were  at  work,  a  hat,  suitable  for  the 
finest  gentleman  in  the  land,  flew  out  of  one  of  the  win- 
dows. 

"Brother  Hobbs  shouted,  'That's  the  hat  for  Brother 
Phillips!  Thank  God!' 


ELDER  TAYLOR'S  LABORS  IN  LIVERPOOL.  73 

"When  Brother  Hobbs  came  home  in  the  evening,  I  was 
there,  it  being  the  time  specified  in  the  dream. 

''He  walked  up  to  me  and  said: 

"  'Brother  Phillips,  I  was  to  give  you  a  hat,  and  here  it  is.' 

"To  our  surprise,  it  fitted  me  well. 

"As  a  matter  of  course  I  was  anxious  to  know  who  was  so 
thoughtful  for  an  Elder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints ;  and,  in  answer  to  my  questions,  Brother 
Hobbs  told  me  the  dream. 

"Then  I  knew,  and  still  know,  that  the  providences  of  our 
Heavenly  Father  were,  and  are,  working  in  favor  of  the  ser- 
vants and  Saints  of  the  Most  High. ' ' 


A    PROPHECY    AND    ITS 
FULFILLMENT. 


ELDER  TAYLOR'S  LABORS   IN  LIVERPOOL — VISIT  TO  M'GAF- 
FEY'S   HOUSE — A  PROPHECY  CONCERNING  MR.   TAIT — 

VISIT  TO  IRELAND— M' GAFFE Y  GETS  DRUNK — THE  PROPH- 
ECY FULFILLED. 

WHEN  the  Twelve  Apostles,  under  the  presidency  of  Presi- 
dent Brigham  Young,  went  to  England,  it  fell  to  the  lot 
of  Elder  John  Taylor  (now  President  Taylor)  to  go  to  Liverpool 
to  labor.  At  that  town  he  was  the  means,  in  the  hands  of  the 
Lord,  of  raising  up  a  branch  of  the  Church. 

Among  others  who  were  baptized  was  a  man  by  the  name  of 
McGrafiey,  an  Irishman.  Sometime  after  his  baptism  he  in- 
vited Elder  Taylor  to  make  a  visit  to  his  house,  which  he  did. 
He  met  there  a  man  by  the  name  of  Tait,  also  an  Irishman, 
whose  home  was  in  Ireland,  but  who  had  come  to  Liverpool  on 
some  business  or  a  visit. 

The  conversation  was  kept  up  till  a  late  hour  in  the  even- 
ing, the  principal  topic,  of  course,  being  the  gospel. 

When  Elder  Taylor  arose  to  depart,  Brother  McGraffey 
accompanied  him  to  the  door,  with  a  light,  to  show  him  the 
way  out.  While  standing  there  making  the  parting  remarks, 
3* 


74  A  STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

and  taking  leave  of  each  other.  Elder  Taylor  felt  suddenly  led 
to  predict  to  Brother  McGaffey  that  his  friend,  Mr.  Tait, 
would  be  the  first  man  baptized  into  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  in  Ireland. 

He  had  no  sooner  made  this  prophecy  than  he  became 
startled  at  what  he  had  said,  for  at  that  time  there  were  no 
Elders  in  Ireland,  and  none  had  been  there,  and,  so  far  as 
Elder  Taylor  knew  at  the  time,  none  were  likely  to  go  there. 
Yet  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  inspired  the  prophecy,  and  the 
Lord  prepared  the  way  by  which  it  would  be  fulfilled.  It  was 
a  prediction  which  a  man  could  not  fulfill,  without  God  had 
inspired  it  and  arranged  circumstances  to  bring  it  to  pass. 

Time  rolled  on,  and  Brother  McGaffey  desired  to  make  a 
visit  to  his  old  place  of  residence  in  Ireland,  and  he  was 
anxious  that  Elder  Taylor  should  accompany  him.  He  had 
received  the  gospel  himself,  and  whatever  his  own  weaknesses 
might  be,  he  valued  it  then,  and  wanted  his  kindred  and 
acquaintances  in  Ireland  to  have  it  also. 

So  it  was  arranged  they  should  go  together,  and  they 
repaired  to  a  town  called  Newry. 

In  that  country,  and  there  are  others  very  like  it  in  this 
respect,  when  friends  have  been  long  separated,  there  are 
some  who  think  that  the  best  way  to  manifest  good  feeling 
and  joy,  at  the  reunion,  in  to  drink  whisky  together,  and  they 
think  these  meetings  hardly  satisfactory  unless  they  can  get 
drunk. 

McGraffey  had  a  good  many  neighbors  and  friends,  and  he 
had,  or  thought  he  had,  to  drink  with  them.  The  consequence 
was  he  got  drunk,  not  once,  but  several  times. 

Probably  the  first  time  he  got  drunk  he  was  so  ashamed  of 
his  conduct,  he  a  man  professing  to  be  a  Latter-day  Saint, 
that  he  got  drunk  the  next  time  to  hide  his  shame. 
There  are  people,  of  whom  we  have  heard,  who  take  just  such 
a  foolish,  ridiculous  course  as  this. 

But  whatever  his  motives  were,  he  got  intoxicated,  and  the 
people  of  the  town  knew  it. 

This  would  have  been  bad  enough  under  any  circumstances ; 
but  worse  when  it  was  known  that  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  for,  drunk  as  he 


M'GAFFEY'S  RIDICULOUS  CONDUCT.  75 

was,  he  had  taken  pains  to  let  everybody  whom  he  met  know 
what  Church  he  belonged  to. 

This  is  a  habit  that  many  drunken  people  have.  He  not 
only  told  them  what  he  was,  but  you  may  be  sure  he  did  not 
fail  to  tell  them  that  he  was  accompanied  by  one  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles,  and  he  boasted  about  him,  how  eloquent  he  was  and 
what  a  knowledge  of  the  scriptures  he  had,  and  told  many 
other  things  of  a  similar  character. 

This,  you  will  readily  understand,  was  scarcely  the  way  that 
Elder  Taylor  wanted  the  gospel  introduced  for  the  first  time 
to  a  people  or  a  nation,  and,  we  doubt  not,  he  was  terribly 
mortified  at  the  ridiculous  conduct  of  his  companion.  But  he 
was  there,  and  he  had  to  make  the  best  of  it. 

They  succeeded  in  obtaining,  what  in  that  country  is  called 
the  ''Sessions  House,"  which  we  would  call  the  "Court 
House, ' '  to  hold  meetings  in,  in  which  he  preached  and  gave 
out  another  appointment  for  the  next  evening. 

The  people,  knowing  probably  of  McGraffey's  conduct,  were 
very  uneasy  and  restless,  and  kept  going  out  and  coming-  in, 
so  much  so  that  Elder  Taylor  toli  them  that  lie  did  not  feel 
like  talking  to  them.  He  had  plenty  of  appointments  to  fill, 
and  abundant  opportunities  of  speaking  to  people  who  would 
be  glad  to  listen  to  him,  he  said,  and  as  they  seemed  so  indif- 
ferent about  paying  attention,  he  would  not  speak  at  that  time. 
He  added,  however,  that  if  there  were  any  there  who  wished 
to  ask  questions,  or  to  converse  with  him,  they  would  find  him 
at  a  certain  place,  mentioning  to  them  the  number  of  the 
house  and  the  name  of  the  street  where  he  stopped. 

After  this,  they  went  out  into  the  country,  and  held  meeting 
in  a  large  barn. 

This  was  well  attended  by  the  people  and  good  order  pre- 
vailed. 

Among  others  who  were  present,  were  a  number  of  young 
men  who  were  being  educated  at  a  college  in  that  vicinity,  who 
had  many  inquiries  to  make  about  the  principles  of  the  gospel. 

In  taking  the  route  back  to  where  they  could  get  a  convey- 
ance to  carry  them  into  Lisburn,  they  had  some  little  distance 
to  walk,  and  Elder  Taylor  had  his  valise  with  him,  which  he 
had  to  carry. 


76  A    STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

On  the  road  they  passed  near  the  farm  of  the  Mr.  Tait, 
whom  Elder  Taylor  had  met  at  McGaffey's  in  Liverpool. 
Brother  McGaffey  thereupon  proposed  to  Elder  Taylor  that  they 
call  upon  him. 

They  found  him  at  home,  and  when  they  arose  to  pursue 
their  journey,  he  accompanied  them,  and  insisted  upon  carry- 
ing the  valise. 

The  conversation,  we  may  naturally  suppose,  was  upon  the 
gospel  and  its  principles. 

They  had  not  gone  very  far  when  they  came  to  a  '  'loch, ' ' 
the  name  which  is  given  to  a  lake  in  that  country.  Upon 
Hearing  this,  Mr.  Tait  spoke  out  to  Elder  Taylor,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  eunuch  to  Philip  (Acts  viii.,  36) :  "See,  here  is 
water;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized?" 

Elder  Taylor  replied:  "If  thou  believest  with  all  thine 
heart,  thou  mayest. ' ' 

Mr.  Tait  answered :  "I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son 
of  Grod,  and  I  believe  also  the  principles  which  you  teach. ' ' 

And  right  there,  Elder  Taylor  baptized  him,  and  confirmed 
him  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints,  and  ordained  him  a  Priest. 

Thus  did  the  Lord  bring  about  the  fulfillment  of  the  pre- 
diction which  he  had  inspired  His  servant  to  make,  and  Mr. 
Tait  was  the  first  man  baptized  in  Ireland,  in  this  dispensation, 
by  the  authority  of  the  holy  Priesthood. 


GUIDED    BY    PROVIDENCE. 


By    JOHN     MORGAN. 


ELDER  LISONBEE'S  MISSION — URGED  BY  THE  SPIRIT  TO 
TRAVEL  ON — FINDS  A  LISTENER — INVITED  TO  PREACH — 
A  PROTEST  AGAINST  IT — SUCCESS — HIS  GREAT  WORK — 
HIS  DEATH. 

AMONG  the  Elders  selected  to  go  upon  missions  in  the 
fall  of  1 875,  was  James  T.  Lisonbee.     He  was  assigned  to 
the  Southern  States,  an'd  went  to  the  State  of  Mississippi. 


INVITED  TO  PREACH.  77 

There  he  met  a  few  relatives,  whom  he  visited,  and  sought  an 
opportunity  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  people,  but  found  no 
opening. 

After  a  brief  visit,  he  packed  his  books  and  clothing  into  a 
valise  and  started  afoot  across  the  country  northward,  intend- 
ing to  go  to  Tennessee  and  join  Brother  D.  P.  Rainey,  whom 
he  found,  after  a  long  and  weary  journey,  almost  bedfast  with 
chills  and  fever. 

After  spending  only  a  day  and  night  with  him,  Elder 
Lisonbee  started  for  the  mountains  of  Northern  Alabama, 
seemingly  urged  on  by  a  spirit  that  would  not  let  him  rest. 

He  had  no  idea  where  he  was  going,  or  what  he  would  find. 
Day  by  day  he  walked  on,  footsore  and  weary,  without  money 
and  in  a  land  of  strangers.  He  often  had  to  travel  till  a  late 
hour  in  the  night,  before  obtaining  a*  place  to  sleep  or  a  little 
supper. 

He  met  rebuffs  and  then  kindness;  was  sometimes  well- 
cared  for,  and  again  hungry ;  and  was  often  refused  food  and 
shelter, 

He  did  not  feel  to  stop  by  the  wayside  to  preach,  but  pushed 
steadily  ahead.  He  crossed  the  Tennessee  River,  climbed 
Sand  Mountain,  and  one  night  found  shelter  with  a  man  who 
sat  up  and  talked  till  a  late  hour  with  him  on  the  principles  of 
the  gospel. 

When  morning  came  Elder  Lisonbee  was  putting  his  books 
back  into  his  valise,  preparatory  to  another  start,  when  his 
host  suggested  that  he  stop  and  preach  to  them,  which  was 
readily  assented  to,  on  condition  that  a  place  could  be  obtained 
and  anyone  would  provide  for  him  during  his  stay. 

Both  of  these  things  the  man  said  he  would  attend  to,  and 
for  the  first  time  in  several  weeks  he  lay  by  for  a  rest. 

A  log  church  was  secured,  the  people  notified,  and  on  Sun- 
day a  goodly  crowd  gathered  to  hear  the  new,  strange  doctrine 
that  was  to  be  preached. 

Close  attention  was  paid,  and  after  the  meeting,  when  he 
was  again  packing  his  books,  preparatory  to  continuing  his 
journey,  one  of  his  audience  asked  him  to  dinner,  and  suggested 
that  some  of  the  people  might  want  to  talk  with  him  on  the 
Bible. 


78  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

Accompanying  his  newly-found  friend  home,  which,  by  the 
way,  took  him  in  the  direction  he  wanted  to  go,  he  found 
quite  a  few  gathered  together  to  hear  something  new.  A 
lengthy  and  interesting  fireside  talk  was  held  during  the  after- 
noon, and  he  was  urged  to  hold  another  meeting. 

An  appointment  was  made  for  Tuesday  night,  at  a  private 
residence,  where  the  room  was  filled,  and  still  another  appoint- 
ment was  made. 

A  general  desire  began  to  be  evinced  to  learn  what  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  taught. 

The  ministers  became  alarmed,  and  besought  the  people  not 
to  hear  him,  and  a  mass  meeting  of  the  law-abiding  (?)  citizens 
was  called  to  protest  against  the  Elder  being  allowed  to  teach 
any  longer. 

He  continued,  howev.er,  to  hold  his  meetings.  Friends 
sprang  up  on  every  side.  He  soon  found  some  who  desired 
baptism,  and  eventually  succeeded  in  baptizing  about  thirty 
people,  who  immediately  made  preparations  to  emigrate. 
They  disposed  of  their  property,  combined  their  means 
together  and  thereby  helped  the  poor,  and  the  Elder  had  the 
privilege  of  leading  out,  by  the  same  road  lie  traveled  coming 
up  the  mountain,  a  goodly  company,  numbering  some  sixty  or 
seventy  souls. 

These  people  eventually  located  in  San  Luis  Valley,  Colo- 
rado, and  are  becoming  good  and  prosperous  Latter-day 
Saints.  They  will  doubtless  recognize,  in  this  little  sketch,  a 
history  of  the  manner  in  which  the  gospel  came  to  them. 

It  will  also  serve  to  call  to  mind  many  incidents  connected 
with  the  wise,  prudent  and  unselfish  labors  of  Elder  Lisonbee, 
who  was  called  upon  to  pass  beyond  the  vail  while  on  his 
return  from  his  mission. 

While  upon  that  mission  he  performed  a  work  that  will  add 
to  his  glory  while  eternities  shall  endure,  and  set  an  example 
to  young  Elders  every  way  worthy  of  imitation. 


THE   LORD'S   PROMISES   SURE.  79 


FULFILLMENT  OF  PROMISE. 


By  M.  F.  COWL.EY. 


THE  LORD  S  PROMISES  SURE — AN  ELDER  IN  WANT  OF  A 
PAIR  OF  SHOES— HE  PRAYS  FOR  THEM— THE  PRAYER 
ANSWERED — CASE  OF  HEALING. 

nPHE  people  of  the  world  generally  have  no  faith  in  the 
-I  promises  made  to  the  Saints,  on  condition  of  their 
obedience  to  God's  commandments,  and  when  they  witness 
the  fulfillment  of  those  promises  they  prefer  to  attribute  it  to 
some  other  than  the  real  cause.  The  Latter-day  Saints,  how- 
ever, like  saints  of  former  days,  have  been  placed  in  positions 
to  test  the  truth  of  these  promises,  and  know  that  they  are 
indebted  to  the  Almighty,  and  to  no  one  else,  for  their  fulfill- 
ment. Especially  is  this  the  case  with  the  Elders  who  go  upon 
missions  to  the  nations  of  the  earth  and  faithfully  discharge 
their  duties. 

•  Those  who  have  learned  the  ways  of  the  sectarian  churches 
know  that  their  ministers  are  supported  by  salaries,  given 
them  for  preaching;  that  is,  they  "preach  for  hire  and  divine 
for  money,"  in  fulfillment  of  Micah's  prediction.  But  the 
Lord  has,  in  our  time,  agreeable  to  the  ancient  pattern,  called 
men  to  "go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,"  "without  money  and  without  price." 

"Freely  ye  have  received;  freely  give!"  is  the  injunction, 
with  a  promise  that  if  they  respond  to  the  call  and  put  their 
trust  in  Grod,  He  will  provide  for  their  wants  by  raising  up 
friends  unto  them,  who  will  aid  them  in  their  travels  and  give 
them  food  and  shelter. 

Hundreds  of  Elders  could  testify  that  they  have  realized 
the  fulfillment  of  these  promises  while  traveling  among  the 
nations  of  the  earth  without  "purse  and  scrip." 


80  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

When  in  want  they  have  petitioned  the  Lord  by  the  hum- 
ble prayer  of  faith  to  aid  them  in  the  hour  of  need,  and  He 
has  never  forsaken  them. 

A  young  Elder  in  one  of  the  Southern  States,  not  long 
since,  when  his  boots  were  the  worse  for  wear  and  his  toes  in 
danger  of  protruding,  asked  the  Lord,  in  a  very  plain  and  sim- 
ple style,  to  provide  him  with  a  pair  of  shoes. 

A  day  or  two  later,  at  the  close  of  a  meeting,  a  gentleman 
'came  to  the  Elder  and  asked  him  to  accept  of  some  money 
which  would  aid  him  in  obtaining  a  pair  of  shoes. 

The  following  day  a  shoemaker,  who  had  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  Elder,  happened  by  where  he  was  stopping, 
and  having  discovered  that  the  Elder  needed  some  shoes,  told 
him  that  he  had  just  made  a  pair  for  himself,  but  through 
some  mistake  they  would  not  fit  him,  as  they  were  too  small, 
and  asked  the  Elder  if  he  would  not  accept  them  as  a  present. 
He  did  so  with  gratitude,  and  found  them  to  be  as  good  a  fit 
as  if  they  had  been  made  for  himself. 

Thus  he  received  a  literal  answer  to  his  prayer  and  more  too. 
Yet  neither  of  these  people  had  he  asked  for  money  or  for 
shoes. 

This  is  one  example  among  numberless  instances  of  a  similar 
nature  that  have  occurred  in  the  experience  of  scores  of 
Elders. 

By  such  means,  also,  the  Elders  learn  who  are  their  friends, 
and  will  give  a  favorable  account  of  such  people  before  the 
Lord,  and  they  will  receive  at  His  hands  a  just  reward. 

The  people,  also,  who  befriend  the  servants  of  Grod,  have 
been  remarkably  blessed,  not  only  temporally,  but  in  many 
instances  have  been  raised  from  beds  of  sickness  by  the  power 
of  God. 

An  instance  may  be  cited  which  occurred  not  long  since  in 
one  of  the  Southern  States. 

A  lady,  whose  husband  and  herself  had  treated  the  Elders 
with  kindness,  was  taken  quite  sick,  and  the  affliction  soon 
proved  to  be  very  serious  indeed.  Three  physicians  were 
called  to  attend  her,  which  they  did  for  several  weeks,  with 
little  or  no  prospect  of  her  recovery.  Finally  they  gave  her 
up. 


CASE  OF   HEALING.  81 

The  Elders  having  returned  to  that  neighborhood  from  a 
tour  in  another  County,  this  lady  sent  for  them  to  come  to 
administer  to  her  the  ordinance  of  the  gospel  for  the  healing  of 
the  sick.  She  had  heard  them  allude  to  such  an  ordinance  in 
their  preaching,  and  found  that  what  they  taught  agreed  with 
the  pattern  given  in  the  New  Testament.  They  laid  their  hands 
upon  her,  at  her  earnest  request,  and  after  repeating  the 
ordinance  several  times,  with  prayer  and  supplication,  she 
arose  from  her  bed  of  sickness  to  which  she  had  been  confined 
for  ten  months.  She  requested  baptism,  and  soon  after  rode  a 
horse  to  a  stream  of  water,  and  was  baptized  and  confirmed  by 
the  servants  of  God.  Numbers  of  astonished  witnesses  were 
present  and  she  was  looked  upon  as  a  living  miracle.  She 
and  her  husband,  with  others,  soon  afterwards  gathered  with 
the  Saints  in  Southern  Colorado. 

Another  instance  of  healing  was  in  the  case  of  a  little  girl 
who  had  been  seized  with  fits,  in  which  her  limbs  were  drawn 
up  and  caused  to  quiver,  and  her  eyes  turned  back  as  if  she 
were  dying.  The  Elders,  being  present,  administered  to  her, 
and,  through  the  ordinance  of  the  gospel  and  the  prayer  of 
faith,  she  was  healed  by  the  power  of  God. 

Scores  of  similar  manifestations  occur  in  the  travels  of  the 
Elders  abroad  in  answer  to  the  humble  prayer  of  faith.  Such 
instances,  and  the  remarkable  way  in  which  God  preserves  and 
provides  for  His  messengers  who  are  sent  to  proclaim  the 
everlasting  gospel  to  the  nations,  confirm  the  faith  and  increase 
evidence  to  the  testimony  of  the  Elders  of  Israel,  and  when 
studied  with  honest  and  prayerful  hearts  by  the  youth  of  Zion, 
tend  to  promote  faith  in  their  minds  and  prepare  them  to 
assist  in  building  up  the  kingdom  of  God  upon  the  earth. 

Many  who  are  now  young  and  inexperienced  will  probably 
soon  be  called  to  bear  the  gospel  message  to  the  nations,  and 
they  should  prepare  themselves  for  the  noble  work. 


82  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 


'YOU  SHALL  NOT  BE  CON- 
FOUNDED." 


BY     BEFF. 


SENT  OUT  TO  PREACH  WHEN  A  BOY — FIRST  EXPERIENCE  IN 
PREACHING— QUESTIONED  BY  AN  INFIDEL— ANSWER  GIVEN 
BY  THE  LORD. 

ONE  of  the  most  astonishing  attestations  of  the  promise 
which  the  Lord  makes  to  His  servants,  that  they  "shall 
not  be  confounded,"  that  I  have  ever  heard,  was  related  to  me 
by  an  experienced  missionary,  in  whom  I  place  great  con- 
fidence, and  for  whose  character  I  have  great  respect. 

The  incident  and  attendant  circumstances,  as  nearly  as  I  can 
recollect,  were  as  follows,  and  I  am  sure  I  give  the  same  in  a 
manner  substantially  as  related  to  me: 

Brother  A first  heard  the  gospel  when  a  youth,  in  his 

native  country — England.  He  was  soon  convinced  of  its 
truth,  was  baptized  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  immediately 
after  his  baptism  was  ordained  an  Elder,  and  sent  forth  to 
preach  the  gospel.  He  was  an  unlettered,  unsophisticated, 
bashful  youth,  one  of  the  last,  it  would  have  been  thought,  to 
be  selected  to  preach  the  gospel. 

He  started  forth  and  arrived  at  a  strange  village,  where,  at  a 
late  hour,  and  after  some  interesting  adventures,  he  was  taken 
in  by  a  kind-hearted  man  and  his  wife,  who  made  him  very 
comfortable. 

On  the  next  day  he  conversed  with  them  upon  the  gospel. 

They  .thought  it  remarkable  to  see  such  a  boy  as  he  was,  out 
•  as  a  missionary  of  a  new  religion,  became  interested,  and  asked 
him  to  hold  a  meeting  in  their  house. 


QUESTIONED   BY  AN    INFIDEL.  83 

He  had  never  preached  in  public,  but  he  said  he  would  do 
the  best  he  could.  The  appointment  was  spread,  and  the 
house  was  full  at  the  appointed  hour.  The  young  Elder 
astonished  himself  at  the  ease  with  which  he  preached  a  long 
discourse  on  the  first  principles  of  the  gospel. 

Among  those  who  had  come  to  meeting  was  a  hardened 
infidel,  who  was  a  very  cunning  reasoner,  and  who  had  made 
it  a  practice  for  many  years  to  argue  against  the  divinity  of 
the  scriptures.  Nothing  pleased  him  more  than  to  draw 
some  minister  into  a  debate,  and  then  to  present  some  of  his 
"unanswerable"  arguments  against  the  Bible.  He  had  van- 
quished every  minister  in  the  village,  and  every  itinerant 
preacher  who  had  held  meetings  there  for  years,  whom  he 
could  succeed  in  drawing  into  a  debate. 

When  the  young  missionary  had  ceased  preaching,  some  of 
the  audience  commenced  to  ask  him  questions.  Presently  the 
infidel,  evidently  thinking  to  easily  vanquish  so  weak  -an 
adversary,  commenced  with  his  usual  routine  of  questions, 
and  at  length  asked: 

"So  you  believe  the  flood  actually  drowned  all  the  animals 
in  the  world  except  those  in  the  ark?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  Elder. 

"We  know  that,  not  very  long  after  the  flood,  many  kinds 
of  animals  were  found  in  various  parts  of  the  world  at  a  great 
distance  from  where  the  ark  landed,  and  even  upon  islands  of 
the  sea,  far  from  the  mainland,  and  under  such  circumstances 
as  would  render  the  theory  of  transportation  by  human  means 
an  absurdity.  Now,  how  did  those  animals  come  to  exist  in 
the  different  and  distant  islands  and  continents?" 

This  question  was  the  infidel's  "trump  card."  At  the  right 
juncture  in  his  debates  he  always  asked  it,  and  had  never  yet 
met  with  a  minister,  or  any  other  Bible  believer,  who  could 
^satisfactorily  answer  it. 

The  young  missionary  felt  his  utter  inability  to  answer  this 
question.  In  trying  to  frame  a  reply,  he  sat  gazing  abstract- 
edly at  the  ceiling  of  the  room.  The  audience  who  remained 
knew  that  this  was  the  great  argument  of  the  infidel,  and  did 
not,  for  a  moment,  suppose  that  the  boyish  preacher  could 
meet  it. 


84  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

Suddenly  there  appeared  before  the  young  missionary's 
eyes,  as  if  it  were  suspended  in  the  air,  a  scroll.  On  the  scroll 
appeared,  in  brilliant  golden  letters,  these  words:  "In  the  days 
of  Peleg  the  earth  was  divided."  (Gen.  x.,  25).  Instantly  an 
explanation  of  the  infidel's  problem  burst  upon  his  mind. 

He  calmly  and  deliberately  proceeded  to  explain  that,  prior 
to  the  days  of  Peleg,  this  whole  earth  was  one  vast  con- 
tinent, inhabited  in  its  various  portions,  with  different  kinds 
of  animals;  that  in  the  days  of  Peleg  this  vast  continent  was 
broken  up  into  smaller  divisions  of  land,  islands,  etc.,  and 
that,  in  this  manner,  the  animals  upon  its  surface  accompanied 
the  land  in  its  divisions. 

The  infidel  was  confounded,  the  multitude  astonished,  and 
the  young,  illiterate  missionary  triumphant.  Several  remem- 
bered the  passage  of  scripture,  and  none  could  gainsay  the 
missionary's  explanation.  The  latter,  however,  had  no  knowl- 
edge of  any  such  a  passage  in  the  Bible,  as  he  had  read  but 
very  little  of  it,  and,  had  the  answer  not  come  to  him  by  rev- 
elation, he  would  have  been  confounded. 

The  scroll  was  so  plainly  visible  to  him  that  it  seemed  as 
though  others  could  see  it,  but  they  did  not. 


AN    EFFECTIVE   PLEA. 


ARRESTED  ON  A  NOVEL  CHARGE — ELDER  PARRISH  S  DEFENSE — 
ELDER  PATTEN'S  INDIGNATION— CONSTERNATION  PRODUCED 
BY  HIS  SPEECH. 

TN  the  early  history  of  the  Church,  Apostle  David  W. 
•*•  Patten  and  Elder  Warren  Parrish  were  traveling,  in  the 
State  of  Tennessee,  preaching  the  gospel  and  organizing 
branches  of  the  Church. 

In  one  localit}7,  where  considerable  interest  had  been  mani- 
fested and  the  usual  oppsition  met  with,  the  latter  culmin- 
ated in  the  arrest  of  the  two  missionaries  upon  the  charge  of 


ELDER  PATTEN'S  INDIGNATION.  85 

being  prophets,  which  was  preferred  by  some  of  the  people, 
when  they  were  actually  carried  before  a  committing  magis- 
trate to  be  tried  on  the  accusation. 

The  court  was  called,  a  jury  summoned,  and  a  great  crowd 
of  people  gathered  to  see  the  result  of  so  remarkable  a 
trial. 

Elder  Fairish  was  somewhat  of  a  lawyer,  in  addition  to 
being  a  good  public  speaker,  and  begged  the  privilege  of 
pleading  his  own  case  and  that  of  his  fellow-prisoner,  which 
the  court  readily  granted,  and,  after  some  preliminary  work, 
the  trial  opened. 

Witnesses  were  examined  as  to  the  teaching  of  the  two 
Elders,  much  contradictory  evidence  was  given  in  and  a  great 
amount  of  wrangling  indulged  in  by  the  prosecuting  attorney 
in  trying  to  make  a  case  against  the  prisoners. 

After  the  prosecution  had  made  up  its  case  and  the  attorney 
had  concluded  his  speech,  Brother  Parrish  replied  in  quite  a 
lengthy  sermon  on  the  first  principle  of  the  gospel,  and  then 
taking  up  the  legal  bearings  of  the  case,  he  claimed  immunity 
from  prosecution  on  the  ground  of  constitutional  right  to  free 
speech. 

During  his  speech  it  was  quite  evident  that  he  had  changed 
the  popular  feeling  very  much,  and  that  many  of  the  audience 
were  in  sympathy  with  the  Elders. 

Apostle  Patten  seems  not  to  have  relished  the  entire  pro- 
ceedings, doubtless  looking  upon  it  as  equal  to  or  worse  than  a 
farce,  and  considering  that  it  was  a  disgrace  to  the  courts  of  a 
free  country. 

As  the  defense  closed  and  rested  the  case,  he  arose  to  his 
feet,  and  with  a  look  of  indignation  on  his  face,  turned  full 
upon  judge  and  jury;  he  raised  aloft  an  immense  walking 
stick,  and  in  a  voice  of  almost  superhuman  force,  he 
exclaimed : 

"If  the  Lord  Almighty  will  turn  this  stick  into  a  sword,  I 
will  cut  heads  off  faster  than  He  ever  rained  quails  on  Israel 
in  times  of  old. ' ' 

The  judge  dodged  from  his  chair,  the  jury  tumbled  off  the 
jury  bench,  the  nearest  bystanders  sought  safety  by  increasing 
the  distance  between  themselves  and  the  indignant  Elder,  and 


86  A   STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

general  consternation  prevailed  in  the  midst    of  the  panic- 
stricken  crowd. 

Turning  to  Elder  Parrish,  Brother  Patten  said,  "Follow 
me,"  and  both  of  the  Elders  walked  out  of  the  court  room, 
mounted  their  horses  and  quietly  rode  away,  not  a  word  being 
said  or  a  hand  raised  to  stop  their  progress. 


A    LIFE    SKETCH, 

CONTAINING     A     FEW    MORAL    LESSONS. 


By    W.     B. 


LACK  OF  EDUCATION — EARLY  MARRIAGE — RESISTING  TEMPTA- 
TION—GRAIN INCREASED  BY  THE  POWER  OF  GOD — 
ANSWER  TO  PRAYER — LARGE  FAMILY,  RESULT  OF  EARLY 
MARRIAGE. 

/TxBINKINGr  some  incidents  from  my  experience  might  be 
-1  of  interest  to  the  young  Latter-day.  Saints,  I  submit  them 
for  their  perusal. 

I  was  born  in  the  year  1835,  was  reared  in  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  and  shared  in  its  persecu- 
tions. At  the  age  of  thirteen,  in  1848,  I  drove  a  team  from 
Winter  Quarters  to  Salt  Lake  Valley  without  any  accident 
worth  mentioning.  The  team  consisted  of  five  cows  and  one 
ox,  making  three  yoke  of  cattle. 

After  we  arrived  and  got  fairly  settled,  my  parents  died, 
and  left  me  without  an  education,  as  was  the  case  with  many 
more  young  folks  who  were  driven  with  the  Saints,  and  on 
this  account  deprived  of  schooling. 

In  this  condition,  I  concluded  to  make  a  home  for  myself. 

Before  I  was  seventeen,  it  being  the  counsel  to  marry  young, 
I  went  to  President  Young,  as  I  was  well  acquainted  with  him, 
and  told  him  what  I  thought  of  doing. 

He  advised  me  to  get  married. 


GRAIN   INCREASED.  87 

I  took  his  counsel,  got  married  and  lived  with  my  wife's 
folks  for  a  short  time,  as  they  requested. 

Now,  my  young  readers,  we  had  not  the  value  of  fifty 
dollars,  all  told.  I  imagine,  too,  you  think  this  was  rather 
young  for  such  and  undertaking. 

It  was  then,  and  is  now  the  counsel  to  marry  young — of 
course,  at  a  proper  age — and  I  bear  my  testimony  to  the  good 
effect  of  early  marriages. 

My  vocation  was  that  of  a  farmer.  The  drawbacks  we  had 
in  consequence  of  crickets,  grasshoppers,  drouth,  altali,  etc., 
can  be  better  imagined  than  described.  A  few  circumstances 
will  suffice  to  show  how  my  wife  and  I  were  blessed  by  the 
Lord. 

In  the  spring  of  1855,  seed  wheat  and  breadstuff  were  very 
scarce.  I  had  none ;  but  a  neighbor  of  mine  owed  me  a  few 
bushels  of  wheat,  and  I  went  to  collect  it.  He  was  absent 
from  home,  but  his  wife,  being  acquainted  with  me,  sent  me  to 
the  granary  alone  to  help  myself. 

When  I  had  put  up  all  the  wheat  that  was  due  me  except 
the  last  half  bushel,  and  while  in  the  act  of  filling  that,  the 
temptation  came  to  me  to  steal  some  of  my  neighbor's  wheat. 
He  had  plenty  and  I  had  none,  except  the  little  I  was  then 
getting.  I  might  take  it  without  being  detected,  and  he 
would  never  miss  it.  The  thought  had  scarcely  got  through 
my  mind  when  I  knew  it  was  from  the  evil  one;  and,  as  a 
punishment  to  myself  for  entertaining  the  temptation,  I 
emptied  part  of  the  half  bushel  that  was  then  in  my  hand 
back  into  my  neighbor's  bin,  and  did  not  take  all  that  was  my 
just  due. 

I  took  my  wheat  home.  It  was  not  as  much  as  I  wished  to 
sow.  but  I  was  satisfied,  and  thankful  for  it.  I  placed  it  in  a 
room  adjoining  the  one  I  lived  in,  got  my  ground  ready,  and, 
as  fast  as  I  required  it,  I  took  wheat  from  my  small  store  to 
sow  it  with. 

I  sowed  all  the  ground  I  wished  to,  and  sowed  it  thickly,  as 
I  wanted  a  good  crop  at  harvest  time.  I  afterwards  noticed 
that  I  still  had  some  sacks  with  wheat  in  left.  I  saw  that  they 
were  my  sacks,  and  it  must  be  my  wheat.  I  called  my  wife's 
attention  to  the  matter,  and  then  it  was  that  the  Spirit  of  the 


88  A   STRING   OF  PEARLS. 

Lord  rested  upon  us  and  convinced  us  that  it  had  been 
increased  by  Him  for  our  good. 

I  got  the  remaining  wheat  ground,  and  we  had  flour  to  last 
us  till  harvest,  for  which  we  gave  G-od  the  glory;  and  I  bear 
testimony  that  my  wheat  at  that  time  was  increased  by  the 
power  of  the  same  Grod  that  increased  the  widow's  oil  in 
ancient  times. 

In  those  days,  most  people  that  had  teams  had  to  depend 
upon  the  range  for  food  for  them.  This  was  the  case  with 
me,  anoT  it  often  took  me  till  ten  or  twelve  o'clock  in  the  day 
to  find  my  team.  When  I  found  it  I  would  return,  tired  out, 
and  go  to  work.  On  one  occasion  I  could  not  find  my  team. 
I  knelt  down  and  asked  the  Lord  to  direct  me  where  to  find  it. 
After  arising,  contrary  to  my  former  intention,  I  went  home. 
I  found  my  horses  tied  up.  They  had  come  up  themselves. 

These  things  taught  me  to  rely  upon  the  Lord,  and  to  ask 
Him  when  I  needed  help. 

On  another  occasion  I  lost  my  team.  I  was  satisfied  it  had 
been  stolen.  I  was  in  Salt  Lake  City  a  short  time  after  the 
occurrence,  and  was  speaking  to  my  uncle  about  my  team 
being  lost.  He  advised  me  to  go  to  an  old  lady  close  by,  and 
she  would  tell  me  where  it  was  by  means  of  cards.  I  told  him 
I  would  do  without  the  cards. 

When  I  returned  home  my  wife  and  I  knelt  down  and  prayed 
that  the  person  who  took  my  team  might  be  prevented  from 
taking  it  out  of  the  country,  and  that  we  might  get  it  again. 

The  team  was  taken  in  the  summer,  and  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  a  man  came  to  me,  in  my  field,  and  asked  me  if  I 
knew  of  any  person  that  had  lost  such  and  such  animals, 
describing  my  horses.  I  told  him  they  belonged  to  me.  He 
then  directed  me  where  I  should  go  to  find  them. 

I  thanked  him  for  his  information,  and  asked  him  how  he 
happened  to  come  to  me,  as  we  were  strangers  to  each  other, 
and  my  horses  were  not  branded. 

He  said  he  did  not  know,  only  that  he  felt  impressed  to  ask 
me. 

Early  next  morning  I  started  after  my  horses.  That  night 
I  found  them  in  charge  of  a  man  who  told  me  that  a  person 
came  to  him  in  the  summer  time  and  desired  to  stop  with  him 


RESULT  OF  EARLY  MARRIAGE.  89 

over  night.  The  fellow  had  a  band  of  horses  which  his  host 
believed  he  had  stolen.  In  the  morning,  as  they  were  both 
looking  at  the  horses,  he  said  to  the  man  who  brought  them 
there,  "Here  are  two  stray  horses;  I  will  take  charge  of 
these  and  get  them  to  the  owner."  He  accordingly  left  my 
two  horses  and  took  the  rest  of  the  band  with  him. 

You  can  see,  my  young  readers,  how  literally  our  prayers 
were  answered.  We  recovered  our  horses  in  good  condition, 
and  thanked  the  Lord. 

These,  with  many  other  blessings,  served  to  keep  us  humble 
and  faithful  to  our  covenants. 

Now,  the  result  of  our  early  ^marriage  is  this :  my  family 
numbers  twenty-four.  I  am  the  father  of  nineteen  children, 
four  of  whom  are  married,  and  I  have  seven  grand-children, 
and  my  present  age  is  forty-four.  I  have  filled  many  positions 
of  trust,  and  I  think  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  my  superiors. 
I  am  now  a  Bishop  in  Zion,  and  I  think  I  have  the  faith  and 
prayers  and  confidence  of  the  Saints  over  whom  I  have  the 
honor  to  preside.  BaDCfOft  LlbMH$ 

I  mention  this  to  show  what  can  be  done  by  being  faithful 
and  observing  the  counsel  of  those  whose  right  it  is  to  guide 
and  direct. 


CASES  OF  MIRACULOUS 
HEALING. 


BY     Q.     W.     HILL. 


GREAT  ASSEMBLY  OF  INDIANS— BAPTIZING  THEM— THE  SICK 
INSTANTLY  HEALED— CURIOUS  ACTIONS  OF  INDIANS  AF- 
FECTED WITH  EVIL  SPIRITS — THE  OLD  CHIEF'S  FAITH — 
CHILD  CURED  OF  FEVER — THE  DEAD  REVIVED. 

T  HAVE  witnessed  a  great  deal  more  of  the  power  of  God 
A  in  my  administration  with  the  Indians  then  I  ever  experi- 
enced with  any  other  people.  In  quite  a  number  of  cases  I 


90  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS. 

have  seen  Indians  who  were  sick  healed  instantly,  when 
the  ordinance  for  the  healing  of  the  sick  was  performed  in 
their  behalf  by  the  Elders. 

I  remember  several  cases  of  healing  that  occured  on  August 
1st,  1875. 

A  large  party  of  Indians  had  come  in  from  Wind  River,  to 
see  what  our  Indians  were  doing,  as  they  had  heard  that  I 
was  working  with  them,  trying  to  teach  them  the  principles  of 
the  gospel,  as  also  how  to  live  as  the  more  civilized  man 
does,  by  cultivating  the  earth. 

They  were  very  anxious  to  find  out  whether  an  Indian  would 
be  allowed  to  settle  down  and  cultivate  the  earth  as  other 
people  do.  They  also  wished  to  ascertain  what  our  religious 
views  were  that  we  were  teaching  to  those  Indians,  as  they 
were  interested  with  them,  because  they  not  only  belonged  to 
the  same  nation,  but  were  related  to  each  other  as  well. 

On  the  date  mentioned  I  was  holding  a  meeting  with  them. 
Our  bowery  was  filled  to  overflowing.  There  were  from  four 
to  five  hundred  Sho-sho-nees  from  Wind  River,  from  one 
hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  Bannocks  from  the  far 
north,  and  our  local  Indians;  in  all  probably  about  one 
thousand  present. 

During  our  services,  Elder  Lorenzo  Snow,  Sister  Eliza  R. 
Snow,  and  quite  a  number  of  the  authorities  from  Brigham 
City  came  to  pay  us  a  visit,  and  were  surprised  to  see  us 
engaged  preaching  to  so  large  an  audience.  They  came  into 
the  bowery,  and  all  took  their  seats  as  quietly  as  they  could 
except  Sister  E.  R.  Snow,  who  continued  to  stand  up,  that 
she  might  have  a  better  opportunity  of  seeing  the  effect  the 
preaching  had  on  the  congregation. 

Brother  Lorenzo  Snow  spoke  to  us  a  shoi£  time ;  the  rest 
preferred  to  look  on.  I  expect  they  thought  it  was  a  queer 
spectacle  to  see  a  man  trying  to  preach  to  a  congregation 
such  as  I  had.  But  a  more  attentive  congregation  I  never 
saw,  nor  one  that  paid  more  respect  to  the  speaker. 

After  the  meeting  was  dismissed,  the  cases  of  healing  to 
which  I  referred  took  place. 

The  Indians  hurried  me  to  the  water,  as  there  were  so  many 
that  wanted  to  be  baptized.  I  did  not  stop  to  visit  with  the 


BAPTIZING    THE    INDIANS.  91 

brethren  and  sisters  who  came  to  see  us,  but  went  immediately 
to  the  river. 

I  baptized  over  three  hundred  before  I  came  out  of  the 
water. 

Among  the  number  were  several  who  were  sick.  Some  had 
been  sick  for  a  long  time,  and  all,  without  an  exception,  on 
being  baptized  for  their  health,  were  healed 

There  was  one  man  who  had  been  sick  a  long  time.  He 
had  been  so  bad  that  he  was  unable  to  walk  a  step  for  four  or 
five  months.  It  took  three  men  to  carry  him  into  the  water 
to  be  baptized.  I  baptized  him  for  his  health  and  for  the 
remission  of  his  sins,  when  he.  walked  out  of  the  river  with 
one  man  walking  on  each  side  of  him  to  steady  him,  and  he 
got  well  immediately. 

There  were  in  this  company  of  Indians,  some  eight  or  nine 
persons  that  were  possessed  of  the  evil  one,  or  something  of 
that  kind.  The  first  of  these  was  a  large,  strong  woman. 

Now  an  Indian  is  no  more  afraid  of  water  than  a  duck  is;  but 
when  I  raised  this  woman  out  of  the  water,  she  wilted  and 
dropped  on  my  arm,  as  lifeless,  to  all  appearance,  as  if  she 
had  been  dead  a  week. 

The  old  chief  was  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  preach- 
ing to  the  Indians  all  the  while  I  was  baptizing.  When  he 
saw  this,  he  shouted  '  'one! ' '  the  second  chief  also  shouted  '  'one. ' ' 

I  did  not  know  what  this  meant,  but  the  old  chief,  noticing 
my  embarrassment,  said,  "Do  not  be  in  a  hurry,  father,  she 
will  soon  be  all  right. ' ' 

In    about   a  minute  her  breath  returned  to  her,  and  she 
walked  out  of  the  river  all  right. 

As  I  said  before,  I  baptized  eight  or  nine  of  such  cases  that 
day,  the  old  chief  keeping  count  all  the  time. 

He  told  me  that  they  had  been  practicing  their  witchcraft 
and  working  with  their  black  art  so  much,  that  he  did  not 
expect  anything  else  of  them  ;  but  it  caused  me  to  recoct  a 
great  deal. 

Some  of  those  that  were  operated  upon  in  this  way  were 
men,  and  when  I  would  raise  them  out  of  the  water  they 
would  hang  upon"  my  arm  breathless,  and  as  limber  a.*  :\  half- 
filled  sack  of  wheat. 


92  A  STRING  OP  PEARLS. 

The  old  chief  took  sick  about  a  week  after  he  was  baptized, 
arid  called  for  baptism  for  his  health.  I  baptized  him,  and  he 
got  well  immediately.  The  power  of  God  was  made  manifest 
in  his  case  to  such  an  extent,  arid  made  so  much  impression 
upon  him,  that,  on  being  taken  sick  last  summer,  he  started  to 
come  a  distance  of  between  two  and  three  hundred  miles  on 
horseback,  to  be  baptized  for  his  health. 

Now,  if  he  had  never  been  healed  himself,  nor  seen  anybody 
else  healed,  lie  would  never  have  started  that  distance  on 
horseback  to  have  that  ordinance  performed. 

The  Lamanites  are  very  much  like  other  people ;  some  of 
them  have  great  faith,  and  will  be  healed  of  any  sickness,  no 
matter  how  severe  the  attack,  while  others  will  not  seem  to  be 
benefitted  in  the  least. 

I  have  frequently  administered  to  them  when  they  were 
burning  up,  as  it  were,  with  mountain  fever,  and  before  I 
would  get  my  hands  off  their  heads,  their  faces  would  be 
covered  with  large  drops  of  sweat,  and  the  fever  would  be 
entirely  gone. 

I  remember  one  case  of  this  kind  among  many  others  that 
took  place  on  Salmon  River,  in  the  fall  of  1855. 

A  band  of  Indians  came  in  from  their  hunt,  with  a  little 
girl,  very  sick  of  mountain  fever.  Their  relatives  told  them 
that  we  practiced  the  ordinance  of  laying  on  hands  for  the 
healing  of  the  sick. 

When  the  father  came  after  me,  I  told  him  that  we  did  not 
make  a  practice  of  administering  to  those  who  did  not  belong 
to  the  Church ;  and  if  we  went  and  administered  to  the  child, 
and  it  recovered,  I  should  expect  him  to  be  baptized.  He 
said  it  was  a  bargain. 

Accordingly  I  took  David  Moore,  of  Ogden,  and  B.  F. 
Cummings,  Sen.,  with  me,  and  we  anointed  the  child  and  laid 
our  hands  upon  her.  When  we  took  our  hands  off  her  head, 
her  face  was  literally  covered  with  large  drops  of  sweat ;  the 
fever  was  gone,  and  the  child  got  well  immediately. 

On  the  Sunday  following,  I  baptized  fifty-six,  her  father 
being  the  first  in  the  water. 

Lest  I  should  weary  your  patience,  I  will  relate  but  one 
more  instance.  On  August  11,  1875,  the  soldiers  had,  through 


THE  DEAD   REVIVED.  93 

the  instigation  of  the  people  of  Corinne,  come*  up  to  Oorinne, 
to  drive  the  Indians  from  the  farm  where  they  made  their  first 
start,  in  the  spring  of  that  year,  to  cultivate  the  earth 
and  settle  themselves. 

When  the  officers  and  I  had  got  through  with  our  talk,  and 
were  getting  ready  to  return,  an  Indian  by  the  name  of  Tat- 
toosh,  came  forme  to  go  and  administer  to  his  child,  telling 
me  to  hurry  or  it  would  be  dead. 

I  took  some  Indians  with  me  and  went.  When  I  got  to  his 
place,  I  found  the  child's  mother  sitting  out  in  the  sun,  trying 
to  warm  it  in  that  way.  The  child  seemed  to  be  dying ;  its 
flesh  was  cold  and  clammy,  and  a  death  sweat  was  upon  it. 

We  anointed  it,  and  while  administering  to  it  I  seemed  to 
see  the  child  at  different  stages  until  it  was  grown.  I  blessed 
it,  accordingly,  to  live,  and  told  its  mother  it  would  get 
well. 

The  child  seemed  to  remain  in  the  same  condition  until  the 
next  day  about  three  o'clock. 

The  major  had  come  up  arid  changed  the  orders  of  the 
previous  evening,  which  were  for  me  to  tell  the  Indians  to  go 
on  with  their  harvesting,  as  he  would  not  disturb  them.  Now 
the  orders  were  if  the  Indians  had  not  broken  camp  by  12 
o'clock  the  next  day,  and  started  for  some  reservation,  he 
should  use  force  and  drive  them  to  one. 

As  I  was  going  to  the  camp  to  get  the  Indians  to  leave,  1 
met  Tat-toosh,  who  told  me  that  the  child  was  dead.  I  said, 
"No,  I  cannot  believe  it !"  He  repeated  that  it  was,  and  that 
•its  mother  and  friends  were  crying  about  it. 

I  had  no  time  to  go  and  see  it,  as  I  had  to  hurry  to  the 
camp.  They  had  no  opportunity  to  bury  the  child  there, 
consequently,  they  wrapped  it  up  in  its  blankets,  and  packed 
it  upon  a  horse,  intending  to  carry  it  until  they  could  find 
time  to  bury  it. 

It  took  some  three  hours  to  get  the  camp  on  the  move,  and 
after  carrying  the  child  in  that  way  some  ten  miles,  they  dis- 
covered that  it  was  alive.  This  was  on  Thursday,  and  on  the 
Sunday  following  I  saw  its  father  in  Cache  Valley.  He  said 
he  never  saw  a  child/get  well  so  fast  in  his  life ;  and  it  is  now 
quite  fat  and  hearty. 


94  A  STRING   OF  PEARLS. 


ANSWER   TO    PRAYER. 


EARLY  EXPERIENCE  IN  CALLING  UPON  THE  LORD— PRAYERS 
ANSWERED — FAITH  DEVELOPED — A  POCKET-BOOK  LOST — 
FOUND  IN  ANSWER  TO  PRAYER. 

IN  proof  of  the  fact  that  the  Lord  hears  and  answers  '  'the 
prayer  of  faith,"  the  writer  has  had  abundant  evidence. 

Not  only  has  he  known  the  sick  to  be  healed  in  almost 
numberless  instances,  when  anointed  arid  prayed  for  by  the 
Elders  of  the  Church,  but  he  has  had  his  own  prayers  answered 
in  regard  to  other  things  Very  many  times. 

These  answers  have  sometimes  come,  too,  in  such  a  signal 
manner  as  to  leave  no  room  for  supposing  that  they  were  the 
result  of  chance. 

From  childhood  he  was  taught  by  his  parents  to  have  faith 
in  the  Lord,  and  to  appeal  to  him  for  help  when  in  trouble. 
In  doing  so  he  ever  experienced  such  relief  and  comfort,  that 
it  seemed  the  most  natural  thing  for  him  to  do  when  in  need 
of  help. 

When  a  small  boy,  as  was  the  case  with  most  other  boys 
who  grew  up  in  these  valleys  years  ago,  he  was  occasionally 
required  to  herd  cows.  Sometimes  his  cows  would  wander  off 
and  get  lost,  and  he  would  be  filled  with  dread  at  thoughts  of. 
going  home  without  them.  At  such  times,  if  he  could  get 
off  alone,  where  no  other  person  could  see  him,  he  always 
liked  to  kneel  in  humble  prayer  and  ask  the  Lord  to  prompt 
him  to  go  in  the  right  direction  to  find  the  missing  animals. 

In  looking  back  now  at  those  early  experiences,  he  cannot 
recall  to  mind  a  single  instance  in  which  he  failed  to  have  his 
prayers  answered. 

Thus  in  his  early  years  an  acquaintance  with  the  Lord  was 
cultivated,  and  he  grew  to  regard  Him  as  his  best  friend — a 
friend  whom  he  could  appeal  to,  without  anyone  else  knowing 
it,  with  perfect  confidence  of  having  his  requests  granted. 


POCKET-BOOK  FOUND   IN  ANSWER  TO   PRAYER.  95 

This  was  a  great  comfort  to  him,  for  he  was  a  very  bashful 
boy,  and  could  not  have  asked  favors  of  others  with  so  much 
freedom  as  he  did  of  the  Lord.  Indeed,  he  never  dared,  when 
a  boy,  to  let  anyone  know  how  he  prayed  to  the  Lord  when 
beset  by  trouble,  and  how  his  prayers  were  answered.  He 
would  even  shrink  from  saying  anything  about  it  now,  were  it 
not  that  he  hopes  an  account  of  his  experience  may  tend  to 
inspire  some  others  with  faith  in  the  Lord. 

On  one  occasion  when  riding  on  the  range  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Jordan  river  he  lost  a  pocket  book,  containing  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  money  and  valuable  papers,  from  his  pocket- 
When  he  discovered  his  loss  he  had  traveled  perhaps 
about  twenty  miles,  and  had  no  idea  where  he  had  lost  it. 
Much  of  the  distance  he  had  traversed  was  over  the  rough 
prairie  where  there  were  no  roads  and  where  sage  and  rabbit 
brush  grew  in  abundance. 

Any  person  acquainted  with  the  condition  of  that  region  of 
country  when  in  its  wild  state,  can  understand  how  fruitless  a 
search  for  so  small  an  article  as  a  pocket  book  would  be  likety 
to  prove  on  the  Jordan  range.  One  might  almost  as  well 
hunt  for  a  needle  in  a  haystack. 

However,  with  many  anxious  forebodings,  caused  principally 
by  the  fact  that  much  that  the  pocket  book  contained  was  not 
his  own,  and^that  he  could  not  replace  it,  if  lost,  he  mounted 
a  fresh  horse  and  started  upon  his  search. 

He  made  his  way  as  nearly  as  he  could  judge,  without  any 
track  to  guide  him,  over  the  same  route  he  had  first  traveled 
till  he  got  some  distance  out  on  the  range.  There,  when  far 
out  of  sight  of  human  eyes,  he  knelt  and  called  upon  the 
Lord  in  earnest  prayer.  He  asked  with  all  the  faith  that  he 
could  command,  that  he  might  be  led  to  the  place  where  the 
lost  treasure  had  fallen. 

Mounting  his  horse  again,  with  a  hopeful  feeling,  he  allowed 
the  animal  to  choose  his  own  course,  when,  imagine  his  joy, 
after  going  a  short  distance,  to  see  the  pocket  book  lying 
directly  in  front  of  his  horse.  With  a  light  heart  and  full  of 
gratitude  to  the  Almighty,  he  returned  home,  feeling  that  a 
more  direct  answer  to  his  prayer  could  scarcely  have  been 
given  him. 


96  A  STRING  OP  PEARLS. 


JOSEPH  SMITH'S  FIRST  PRAYER. 


BY    G.     M. 


Oh  how  lovely  was  the  morning — 
Radiant  beam'd  the  sun  above, 

Bees  were  humming,  sweet  birds  singing, 
Music  ringing  through  the  grove — 

When,  within  the  shady  woodland, 
Joseph  sought  the  God  of  love. 

Humbly  kneeling,  sweet  appealing — 
'Twas  the  boy's  first  uttered  prayer — 

When  the  power  of  sin,  assailing, 
Filled  his  soul  with  deep  despair ; 

But,  undaunted  still,  he  trusted 
In  his  Heavenly  Father's  care. 

Suddenly  a  light  descended, 
Brighter  far  than  noonday  sun, 

And  a  shining  glorious  pillar 
O'er  him  fell,  around  him  shone; 

While  appeared  two  heavenly  beings, 
God  the  Father  and  the  Son. 

"Joseph,  this  is  my  beloved ! 

Hear  Him  !"  Oh  !  how  sweet  the  word  ! 
Joseph's  humble  prayer  was  answered, 

And  he  listened  to  the  Lord. 
Oh!  what  rapture  filled  his  bosom, 

For  he  saw  the  living  God. 


